Chapter 13: Angel

At the Bronze a Girl screams, "Cockroach!"

Buffy and Willow sit on couches. Buffy stirs her drink idly, lost in thought.

Willow smiles, "Hard to believe it's the fumigation party already . . ."

Buffy nods, "Hmm?"

Willow looks to Buffy, "It's an annual tradition, the closing of the Bronze for a few days to nuke the cockroaches."

Buffy smiles, "Oh."

Willow nods, "It's a lot of fun. What's it like where you are?"

Buffy shakes her head, "I'm sorry. I was just . . . thinking about . . . things. And stuff."

Willow nods, "Things and stuff. So we're talking about a guy."

Buffy shakes her head, "Not exactly. For us to have a conversation about a guy there would have to be a guy for us to have a conversation about. Was that a sentence?"

Willow laughs, "You lack a guy?"

Buffy nods, "I do. Which is fine, most of the time, but..."

Willow nods, "What about Angel?"

Buffy sighs, "Angel. Yeah, I can see him in a relationship. Hi honey, you're in grave danger, see you next month."

Willow nods, "He doesn't stay around much, it's true."

Buffy sighs, "He disappears! Every time. Tells me there's trouble then poof. Gone. But when he's around... It's like the lights dim everywhere else. You know how that happens with some guys?"

Willow nods, "Oh yeah." She gazes over at the dance floor where Xander is working out, dancing next to a rather pretty girl.

Xander notices the guy the girl is with and leaves bumping briefly into Cordelia before coming over to Buffy and Willow. Boy that Cordelia's a regular breath of vile air - what are you vixens up to?"

Willow smiles, "Just sitting here watching our barren lives pass us by. Oh look, a cockroach." She stomps on the cockroach.

Xander looks from Willow to Buffy who's lost in thought. "Whoah, stop this crazy whirlygig of fun. I'm dizzy."

Buffy sighs, "All right, now I'm infecting those near and dear to me. I'll see you guys tomorrow." She gets up.

Willow shakes her head, "Don't go..."

Xander nods, "Yeah, it's early! We could, um, dance."

Buffy sighs, "Raincheck. Besides I promised Prue I would be home early anyways. Night." She goes.

Angel watches Buffy from the balcony above.

Almost as if Buffy can sense Angel, she turns, looks up. "No Angel. Just party animals. Buffy heads out the door.

Buffy walks alone. A dim sound behind her alerts her senses. She slows, looks back at the empty street. She walks on. Again she hears a sound. She walks some more, stops, doesn't turn around. "It's late, I'm tired, I don't want to play games. Show yourself." Something drops behind her. She turns to face a vamp. "You really should talk to your orthodontist about a refund."

Buffy whips a stake out of her jacket. Moves in on the vampire. Raises it high to strike. Her wrist is grabbed from behind another vamp.

The vamp holding her wrist twists it painfully until she drops the stake. She notices a third vamp standing beside the ones holding her wrist.

Buffy frowns, "Hey, ow, okay, I'm letting go. I don't want to fight all three of you..." She suddenly kicks one of them between the legs. "...unless I have to."

She elbows another as the biggest and meanest one slams her in the back - she stumbles into the first two who grab her, hold her fast. She is grabbed and the meanest vamp, fangs bared, inches toward her neck when he's grabbed by the neck-"

Angel shakes his head, "Good dogs don't bite."

The meanest vamp turns to face Angel - who smashes him in the face. This distracts the other two - Buffy wrenches her arms free, grabs them by the hair and smashes their heads together.

Angel and the mean vamp trade kicks and punches. Angel's fast and deadly. He ducks a punch and blocks a kick by catching the meanest vamp's boot and hurling him back into a wrought iron fence.

Meanwhile, Buffy hits vamp 2, elbows vamp 3. Vamp 2 sweep-kicks her off her feet. She goes down.

Angel closes in on the meanest vamp - but vamp 3 hits him from behind. He turns to battle vamp 3.

Buffy, on her back, kicks vamp 2, leaps to her feet, sees the meanest rip a pointed iron spike right off the wrought iron fence and come at Angel from behind. "Look out!"

Angel spins, sees the spike, jumps back - not quite fast enough - he's slashed in his ribs.

Buffy bolts to them as the mean vamp slashes again - and gets her foot in his face, knocking him down. "Run!"

They do, rounding a corner as the vamps struggle to their feet and give chase.

Buffy and Angel run down the street. He's holding his wounded side.

Buffy and Angel run to the front door. The vamps are very close.

Buffy opens the door, herds Angel inside. "Get in! Come on!" She is shutting the door as the meanest vampire leaps onto the porch, grabbing for her. She slams the door on his hand - it withdraws - and she shuts it. Looks out the window, worried.

ANGEL

It's all right. A vampire can't come in unless it's invited.

BUFFY

I heard that, but I never put it to the test before.

She looks out and sees:

ANGLE: ON THE PORCH

The Vamps back into the darkness, but they don't leave.

Buffy turns from the window to Angel, concerned about his wound.

BUFFY

I'll get some bandages, take your jacket and shirt off.

She exits into:

INT. KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS

She gets the first aid kit. Angel follows her in, slipping out of his shirt. She takes a moment to register the fact of Angel naked from the waist up.

BUFFY

Nice tattoo.

He has a WINGED LION tattoo behind his left shoulder. She moves to him, bandages him under:

BUFFY

I was lucky you came along. How did you happen to come along anyway?

ANGEL

I live nearby. I was just out walking.

BUFFY

So you weren't following me? I had this feeling you were . . .

ANGEL

Why would I do that?

BUFFY

You tell me, you're the Mystery Guy who appears out of nowhere - I'm not saying I'm not happy about it tonight - but if you are hanging around me I'd like to know why.

She finishes the bandage, straightens up, quite close to him.

ANGEL

Maybe I like you.

BUFFY

"Maybe"?

They hear the SOUND of the front door opening.

INT. BUFFY'S LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

Buffy bolts to the front door as Prue unlocks it, Prue, Piper and Phoebe enters. Buffy scans the darkness for vampires, pulls her cousins in.

Prue frowns, "Buffy, what are you...?"

Buffy frowns, "Was followed home by some vamps."

Prue frowns, "Vamps? Are you okay?"

Buffy nods, "Yeah."

Prue nods and looks past Buffy, "Hi."

Buffy follows Prue's gaze to Angel, he has his shirt and jacket on, who has entered from the kitchen. "Oh. Prue and Piper, this is Angel, Angel this is Prue and Piper. And you remember Phoebe?"

Angel nods, "Hello, nice to meet you."

Prue frowns, "Why is he here, Buffy?"

Buffy smiles, "He ran into me when I was dealing with the vamps. Don't worry he knows about vampires. He's the one that gave me the crosses your all wearing. I felt it safe for both him and myself that he come with me till it's safe."

Prue nods, "Okay. You can sleep on the couch, Angel."`

Buffy nods, "I'll get you a pillow and a blanket." She heads upstairs. Prue, Piper and Phoebe head up to bed. Buffy comes back down and they head into the living room.

Angel sighs, "Look, I don't want to get you in any trouble."

Buffy shakes her head, "And I don't want to get you dead - they could still be out there. So, you're spending the night."

Angel nods, "Okay." He smiles, moves to the window. "I don't see them..."

Buffy sighs, "You know, I'm the Chosen One. It's my job to fight guys like that. What's your excuse?"

Angel nods, "Somebody has to."

Buffy nods, "Well, what does your family think of your career choice?"

Angel sighs, "They're dead."

Buffy sighs. "Was it vampires?"

Angel turns, "It was."

Buffy looks down, "I'm sorry."

Angel nods, "It was a long while ago."

"So this is a vengeance gig for you?" Buffy asks. "Well sleep tight." She hands him a pillow and then heads upstairs.

The next morning in the library Giles, text in hand, paces, concerned as Willow, Buffy and Xander talk.

"He spent the night?" Xander asks astonished.

Buffy nods, "Yeah downstairs in the living room on the couch."

Giles sighs, "-Could I just steer this riveting conversation back to the events that took place earlier in the evening? You left the Bronze and were set upon by three unusually virile vampires..." He shows her engraving of three warrior vamps. "Did they look like this?"

Buffy nods, "Yeah, what's with the uniforms?"

Giles frowns, "You encountered the Three - warrior vampires, very proud and strong."

Willow shakes her head, "How is it you always know this stuff? You always know what's going on - I never know what's going on."

Giles points to pile of books, "Yes, well, you weren't here from midnight to six researching it."

"No, I was sleeping." Willow said.

"You're really starting to hurt the Master, he wouldn't send the Three for just anyone." Giles said. "We must step up our training with weapons..."

Buffy rolls her eyes, "Prue will just love that."

Xander nods, "Buff, you better stay at my place until these Samurai-guys are history." Buffy tries to speak. "Don't worry about Angel. Willow can run over to your house and tell him to get out of town fast."

Buffy rolls her eyes, "Xander did you forget who I am. Prue, Piper, Phoebe and I can deal with them if they come to the manor again."

Giles smiles, "Anyways Buffy and Angel aren't in immediate jeopardy. Eventually the Master will send others but the Three, having failed, will now offer up their own lives as penance."

Xander nods, "And what if he doesn't take their lives?"

"Oh right, I forgot, the Master's such a kind and forgiving sort of chap." Giles said sarcastically.

Later in the library Giles locks the doors. He moves to Buffy. She is pouring over a large chest o' weapons. She pulls out a deadly looking metal crossbow and several steel-tipped arrows. "Cool, a crossbow. And look at these babies, goodbye stakes, hello flying fatality." She looks around. "What can I shoot?"

Giles takes the crossbow from her, "Nothing. The crossbow comes after you prove your proficiency with the jousting poles which, incidentally, training." He tosses her a big jousting pole.

Buffy sighs, "Giles, twentieth century, I'm not gonna be fighting Friar Tuck."

"You never know whom - or what - you may be fighting." Giles said. "And these traditions have been handed down through the ages, show me good, steady progress with the jousting and in due time we'll discuss the crossbow." He dons padded headgear. "Now put on your pads."

"I'm not gonna need pads for you." Buffy said.

Giles accepts her challenge, "We'll see about that. En garde." He leaps into a pretty impressive jousting position.

Buffy twirls her pole a couple of times then engages Giles. They block and parry several times and then she wipes the floor with him, hitting him high, low and in the middle a bunch of times and knocking him flat on his ass.

Giles - on the floor, breathing hard; takes off head gear. "Good. Let's move on to the crossbow."

That evening back at the Manor Buffy, Piper, Prue and Phoebe eat dinner. Angel was there but not eating.

Piper sighs, "We have to call the exterminator, I heard mice or something downstairs today..."

Buffy nods, "I bet they'll go away in a day or so.

Piper nods and looks at Angel, "Not hungry?"

Angel smiles, "The food's great Ms. Halliwell. I just happen to be on a very strict diet. It's my fault really I should have told you so you wouldn't go to all that trouble. I do appreciate the thought though."

Piper nods, "You just let me know and I will make sure to prepare it."

Angel nods, "I will."

Buffy smiled at Angel, "So was Phoebe good company or were you bored?"

"I read mostly. You all have an excellent collection." Angel said.

Prue looked at Piper to say, 'Did he go in the attic?'

Phoebe shook her head to indicate Angel had not gone into the attic.

Angel slowly stands, "I think I should be off. Those vampires are more than likely dead so will not pose a problem for me to get home. Thank you for your hospitality."

Buffy nods, "Let me show you out, Angel." She stood up and showed Angel to the door.

Angel sighs, "I did a lot of thinking today, I can't really be around you..." Buffy nods, absorbing this. "Because when I am..."

Buffy smiles, "Hey, no big. Water over the bridge -"

"...all I can think about is how badly I want to kiss you -"

"-it's under the bridge, over the dam," Buffy looks at Angel astonished, "kiss me?"

Angel nods, "I'm older than you and this can't ever..." He steps out the door. "...I better go."

Buffy sighs, "...how much older?"

Angel hesitates. They look in each other's eyes. "I really should…"

Buffy nods, "Go, you said."

Angel reaches for her, she moves to him. He takes her in his arms and they kiss, tender, tentative. Then it grows more passionate. And then he's suddenly and a little violently trying to pull himself free."

Angel moves back and Buffy see that he is a vampire. It's sudden, shocking and Buffy lets out a mortal screams. Angel runs into the night.

Prue, Piper and Phoebe come running into the living room.

Prue looks around, "Buffy, what happened?"

Buffy looks at her eldest cousin and sighs, "Angel's a vampire."

Piper looks at Buffy astonished, "You're sure?"

Buffy nods, "Yes. We kissed and his face morphed into a vampire."

Phoebe started laughing. They all turned and glared at her. "What? Well you have to admit it's funny. Piper dated a Warlock, fell for a ghost. I was interested in a demon. So it only makes sense that the guy Buffy would be interested in is a vampire."

At Gateway High kids are arriving for school. A noticeably shaken Buffy walks with Xander, Willow, Giles, and Piper.

Willow shakes her head, "Angel's a vampire?"

Buffy sighs, "I can't believe this is happening... one minute we're kissing, the next minute... can a vampire ever been a good person? Couldn't it happen?"

"A vampire isn't a person at all. It may have the movements, the memories, even the personality of the person it takes over, but it is a demon at the core. There's no halfway." Giles said.

Willow sighs, "So that's a no, huh?"

Piper shakes her head, "Well then what was he doing? Why was he... good to us? Was it all some part of the Master's plan? It doesn't make sense."

Buffy sits on one of the benches in front of school.

Xander sits next to her. "All right, you have a problem and it's not a small one. Let's just take a breath and look at this calmly and objectively." Buffy looks at him - he's making sense. "Angel's a vampire, you're a Slayer - it's obvious what you have to do."

Buffy looks to Giles and Piper.

Piper nods, "He has a point, Buffy."

Giles sighs, "It is the Slayer's duty."

None of them notice Cordelia approaching.

Xander nods, "I know you have feelings but it's not like you're in love with him or anything, right?" Buffy's expression tells him she just might be. Xander loses his cool. "You're in love with a vampire?! Are you out of your mind?"

Cordelia is stands right next to Xander. Her eyes go wide and she gasps. They look up, realize she's staring right at him.

"Not vampire, I mean... How can you love an umpire? Everybody hates them!" Xander said.

Cordelia looks past Xander and frowns, "Where did you get that dress?!" They follow her gaze past Xander to another girl in the exact same outfit as Cordelia. Cordelia fingers her own dress. "This is a one of a kind Todd Oldham. Do you have any idea how much it cost?"

Cordelia marches to the girl, grabs at the back of her dress, trying to read the label. "It's a knock-off, isn't it?" The girl backs away from Cordelia and they disappear into the morning throng. "It's a cheesy knock-off. This is what happens when you sign these Free Trade Agreements..."

Buffy sighs, "And we think we have problems."

A BELL rings.

Willow smiles, "Oh boy, time for geometry. It's fun if you make it fun."

Piper looks to Giles, "You have my number at Quake. If you come up with something call me?"

Giles nods, "Of course, Piper."

They move off.

The last of several kids enter rooms and the hall is quiet. Except . . . for Xander at a drinking fountain. Drinking up a storm. A nearby class door opens, Willow exits.

Willow smiles, "Geometry's starting."

Xander nods, "Yup."

"But you're out here drinking." Willow said."

Later in the library Xander, Willow and Buffy sit at the table.

Giles nods, "Here's something at last!"

Xander jumps about a foot out of his chair as Giles suddenly appears out of the stacks. "Can you please warn us before you do that?"

Giles holds some aged diaries. "Nothing about Angel in the texts, but then it occurred to me it's been ages since I read the diaries of the Watchers who came before me." He opens one of the diaries. "There's mention over two hundred years ago in Ireland of Angelus, the one with the angelic face."

Buffy nods, "They got that right."

Xander snorts. Willow looks at him. "I'm not saying anything, I have nothing to say."

"Does your Angel - this Angel - have a tattoo behind his right shoulder?" Giles asked.

Buffy nods, "A bird or something."

Xander frowns, "Now I'm saying something. You saw him naked?"

"So Angel's been around for a while." Willow asked.

Giles shakes his head, "Not that long for a vampire, two hundred and forty years or so."

Buffy laughs, "Two hundred and forty. Well, he did say he was older."

Giles picks up another diary, "Angelus leaves Ireland, wreaks havoc in Europe for several decades. Then, about eighty years ago, a most curious thing happens..." He picks up a third diary. "...he comes to America where he shuns other vampires and lives alone. There's no record of him hunting here..."

"So he is a good vampire. I mean on a scale of one to ten, ten being someone who's out there killing and maiming every night and one being someone who's... not..." Willow said.

Giles sighs, "There's no record but... vampires hunt and kill, it's what they do."

Xander nods, "Fish gotta swim, birds gotta fly."

"He could have fed on me, Piper, Prue, or Phoebe. He didn't." Buffy said.

Xander nods, "Question, the hundred years or so before he came to our shores, what was he like then?"

Giles frowns, "Like all of them, a vicious, violent animal."

Later Buffy and Willow are studying. Or rather Willow is studying and Buffy is thinking about Angel.

"Okay, so Reconstruction began, when? Buffy?" Willow asked.

Buffy looks at Willow confused, "Huh? Reconstruction? It began after the, ah, construction which was shoddy and so they had to reconstruct -"

Willow shakes her head, "After the destruction of the Civil War."

"Right. The Civil War, during which Angel was already like a hundred and change." Buffy said.

Willow sighs, "Are we going to talk about boys or are we going to help you pass history?" She waits a moment for an answer and then shuts the book. "Sometimes I have this fantasy that Xander is going to just grab me and kiss me, right on the lips."

Buffy smiles, "You want Xander to... you got to speak up, girl."

"No, no, no. No speaking up. That way leads to madness and sweaty palms." Willow said. At one of the doors in the back of the library Darla appears, unnoticed, cracks the door to listen. "Okay, here's something I gotta know: when Angel kissed you, I mean before he turned into... how was it?"

Buffy blushes, "Unbelievable."

Willow smiles, "Wow. And it is kind of novel how he'll stay young and handsome forever - although you'll still get wrinkly and die - oooo, and what about the children - I'll be quiet now."

Buffy sighs, "No, speak up. I've got to get over him so I can..."

"So you can...?" Willow mimes "staking" someone and makes a stabbing noise.

Buffy nods, "Like Xander said, I'm a Slayer, he's a vampire. Oh god, I can't. He's never done anything to hurt me. I gotta stop thinking about this." She opens the book. "Give me another half hour, maybe something will sink in. Then I'm going home for some major moping."

Darla quietly removes a couple of books and leaves.

Willow nods as she looks back at the book, "The era of congressional Reconstruction, usually called Radical Reconstruction, lasted ten years..."

At the Manor Piper works at the table, pouring over paperwork. She hears a noise, looks up. Nothing. "Buffy? Prue? Phoebe?"

No answer. Piper starts working again and there is another noise - outside, perhaps. Piper stands, a little spooked. She goes to the back door, peers out the window. Nothing.

She turns, brow furrowed. Looks toward the hall. As she moves away from the window Darla is right outside the window behind her in full grinning vampire mode. A moment more and Darla moves silently and quickly from the window.

Piper enters, still looking around tentatively. The doorbell rings and Piper jumps, startled. She goes to the door, opens it. Darla, looking friendly and innocent, school books in hand, is on the front porch. "Hello...?"

Darla smiles, "Hi. I'm Darla, a friend of Buffy's?"

Piper nods, "Oh, nice to meet you."

"She didn't mention anything about me coming over for a study date?" Darla asked.

Piper shakes her head, "No. I thought she was studying with Willow at the library."

Darla nods, "Oh, she is, Willow's the Civil War expert, but then I was supposed to help her with the War of Independence. My family kind of goes back to those days."

"I know she's supposed to be home soon. Would you like to come in and wait?" Piper asks.

Darla smiles, "That's very nice of you to invite me into your home." Her phrasing sounds a little odd, but not a big deal to Piper.

Piper nods, "...you're welcome." Darla enters. "I've been working on the books for Quake all night - would you like something to eat?"

Darla studies Piper's neck. "I'd love that."

Piper nods, "Let's see what we have."

Darla follows her into the kitchen.

Piper rummages in cupboards, the fridge. "Do you feel like something little or something big?"

"Something big." Darla says.

Darla is now in vampface!

Angel walks up, moves to the front door, reaches for doorbell, thinks better of it, moves away.

That's when he hears the big scream coming from the back of the house. He bolts to the back. Angel bursts in. Darla has her teeth in Piper's neck. Piper is weak and out of it, not cognizant of much. "Let her go."

Darla leans her head back, laughs, holding Piper around the waist like a limp doll. "I only took a little, there's plenty more. Aren'tcha hungry for something warm after all this time?" Angel hesitates, starting to breathe a little harder. "Come on, Angel..."

Angel, breathing harder still, shakes his head "no".

Darla nods, "Just say yes." She heaves Piper into Angel's arms. Angel morphs into vampface. "Welcome home." She fades back, leaving the two of them together.

Angel doesn't even see her go, he is staring at the pinpricks of blood on Piper's neck.

Darla slips out the door.

Angel shuts his eyes, trying to control himself. Opens them. Moves his head down toward Piper's neck -

"Piper? Prue? Phoebe?" Buffy appears from the hall entry. "...I'm home." She freezes, seeing Angel in vamp mode poised over Piper. Her eyes dart to the small but distinctive wound in her cousin's neck, then to Angel's terrifying face.

A moment later Angel comes crashing through the front window and lands in a heap on the lawn. He gets up, looks back.

Buffy looks at him with quiet hatred, "You're not welcome here. Come near us and I'll kill you."

Angel looks at her a beat - then moves off into the night.

Buffy watches for a second from the broken window, turns and runs back into the kitchen. "Piper, Piper can you hear me?"

Piper groans, she's alive. Buffy grabs the phone, punches in 911. "I need an ambulance, 1329 Prescott Street. My cousin… cut herself, she's lost a lot of blood... please hurry -"

The back door opens and Willow and Xander enter. "Hey, Buffy, we - Oh my god." Xander says.

They hear the front door open. "Piper? Buffy? We're home."

Willow frowns, "What happened?"

Buffy's voice is full of anger, "Angel." She looks back towards the kitchen door, "Prue, Phoebe in here."

Prue and Phoebe come running into the kitchen.

"Buffy?" Prue says.

Buffy looks at Prue, "She's alive. I called an ambulance."

Prue nods, "What happened?"

"Angel." Buffy spits out.

Later at the hospital Giles moves down the hall fast into Piper's room.

Piper is in bed, resting, a small bandage on her neck. Buffy, Prue and Phoebe are next to her. Willow and Xander stand nearby.

Buffy sighs, "Do you remember anything, Piper?

Piper nods, "Just... your friend came over, I was going to make a snack..."

Buffy turns, glares at Giles, Prue, Phoebe, Willow and Xander.

Buffy frowns, "My friend..."

Piper nods, "I guess I slipped and cut my neck on... the doctor said it looked like a barbeque fork, we don't have a barbeque fork...

Buffy nods, "Piper, get some rest now." She gives Piper a kiss on the cheek. Turns to go. She, Prue, Phoebe, Giles, Willow and Xander exit into hall. "The doctor says she's going to be okay. They gave her some iron, her blood count's a little..." She takes a moment to control her feelings.

Giles nods, "A little low, it presents like a mild anemia... you're lucky you got to her as soon as you did.

Buffy frowns, "Lucky and oh-so-stupid."

"Buffy, this isn't your fault." Prue said.

Buffy sighs, "Oh no? I invited him into our home, Prue. And even after I knew who he was - what he was - I didn't do anything about it. Because I had feelings, because I cared about him."

"If you care about somebody..." Willow glances at Xander. "...you care about them. You can't change that just by -"

Buffy frowns, "Killing them? Maybe not, but it's a start."

Xander nods, "We'll keep an eye on Piper."

"Thanks. The Three found me near the Bronze and so did he. He lives nearby... Prue, Phoebe you with me?" She starts to go as Prue and Phoebe follow.

Giles stops her, "This is no ordinary vampire – if there is such a thing - he knows you, he's faced the Three, I think it's going to take more than simple stake."

Buffy nods, "So do I."

Later at the library Buffy pulls the crossbow and several steel arrows out of Giles' weapons chest. Feels the point of an arrow - sharp. Locks an arrow onto crossbow - KA-CHING - it's a killing tool. She hands it to Prue. She then grabs another crossbow and arrows and hands it to Phoebe.

They comes out of the office loaded for bear, crossbow in Prue and Phoebe's hands and four shafts each stuck in their belts.

Buffy looks around for something to test them on. She stands near the check-out desk, sights on the back wall. Next to one of the doors in back is a poster of a senior boy.

Buffy looks to her cousins, "Try hitting the heart on that poster."

Prue fires and has good aim. Phoebe misses her first shot and hits the second time.

Buffy nods, "Let's go."

At the hospital A nurse moves past. Giles leans against the wall, thinking. Xander stands next to him in a bit of a daze, staring at Giles' coat for a long moment. "What?"

"Why do they call it tweed?" Xander asks.

Willow emerges from Piper's room. "Piper's asking for you."

Giles disappears into Piper's room. And moves next to Piper who is still a little groggy.

Piper smiles, "She talks about you all the time... it's important to have teachers who make an impression..."

Giles nods, "She makes quite an impression herself."

Piper sighs, "I know she's having trouble with history. Is it too difficult for her or is she not applying herself?"

"She lives very much in the now and of course history is very much about "the then", but there's no reason..." Giles said.

Piper nods, "She's studying with Willow, she's studying with Darla, she is trying..."

Giles frowns, "Darla. I don't believe I know..."

Piper nods, "Her friend, the one who came over tonight."

"Darla came to your house tonight, she was the friend you mentioned earlier? Not Angel?"

Piper shakes her head, "I would have frozen Angel the moment I saw him."

Giles nods, "Thank you, Piper." He heads out of the room fast to Willow and Xander. "We've got a problem."

At the Bronze up on the balcony. Buffy lets herself , Prue and Phoebe in through the broken window.

They prowls the balcony, crossbows in hand. Doesn't find Angel. They head downstairs.

Angel watches them move away from him, towards the bar.

Buffy sensing Angel, spins around, aiming towards the stage.

Angel's not there.

Buffy, Prue and Phoebe continues their prowl. Moves toward the bar. Hears the floor boards squeak from the direction of the dance floor.

Prue aims the crossbow into the darkness, looking for him. "We know you're there..."

Phoebe aims the bow this way and that, trying to find him.

Buffy nods, "And I finally know what you are."

Angel calls out from the darkness, "Do you..." Buffy zeros in on the right side of the stage. But suddenly his voice comes from the left. "I'm just an animal, right?"

"You're not an animal. Animals I like." Buffy says as she quickly shifts her weapon to the left.

Angel steps out of the darkness on her right - and much closer than Buffy was expecting. "Let's get it done." He charges Buffy. Extremely fast, too fast for Prue or Phoebe to shoot without hitting Buffy. It takes Buffy a second to adjust, but she does, bringing the crossbow up, sighting and FIRING! Angel hits the pool table and vaults straight up to the balcony as the arrow shoots across the club, missing him.

Buffy loads another arrow, creeps around the pool table, aiming up into the dark hole. She sights one side of the hole, then another - then Angel drops down behind her from the stairs.

Phoebe and Prue looks around trying to find Angel.

Buffy spins. Too late. He knocks the bow out of her arms. She punches. He blocks. He punches, she gets hit. She lands a kick and punches him in the ribs where he was wounded. He HOWLS in pain and rage, leaps for her. Just misses as she ducks and powers up a fireball.

Angel coming at her from behind.

Prue spots Angel, "Buffy behind you."

Buffy spins, aims at him. He stops. She's got a good, clean shot.

Angel's vampire face morphs into his regular face. Buffy. Seeing him this way, she hesitates. "Come on. Don't go soft on me now."

Buffy swings her hand wide and throws the fireball clearly missing him.

"A little wide..." Angel says.

Buffy sighs, "Why? Why didn't you just attack me when you had the chance? Was it just a joke? To make me feel for you and then... I've killed a lot of vampires. I've never hated one before."

Angel nods, "Feels good, doesn't it? Feels simple."

Buffy nods, "You play me, "She looks to Prue and Phoebe. "Us like a fool. Come into our home. And then you attack my family..."

"Why not? I killed mine." Angel says as he starts closing in on her. She backs up ever so slightly. Prue and Phoebe waiting for their chance to fire their crossbows. "I killed their friends, and their friends' children. For a hundred years I offered an ugly death to everyone I met. And I did it with a song in my heart."

Buffy nods, "A hundred years."

"And then I made an error of judgment. Fed on a girl about your age. Beautiful. Dumb as a post, but a favorite among her clan."

Prue frowns, "Her clan?"

Angel nods, "The Romani -"

Phoebe nods understanding, "Gypsies."

"Yes Gypsies. It was just before the turn of the century. Their elders conjured the perfect punishment for me. They restored my soul." Angel said.

"What, they were all out of boils and blinding torment?" Buffy asked.

Angel nods, "When you become a vampire, the demon takes your body. But it doesn't get the soul. That's gone. No conscience, no remorse... it's an easy way to live. You have no idea what it's like to have done the things I've done, and to care. I haven't fed on a living human being since that day."

Prue frowns, "So you start with my sister?"

Angel shakes his head, "I didn't bite her."

Buffy looks at Angel confused, "Then why didn't you say something -"

"But I wanted to. I can walk like a man but I'm not one. I wanted to kill you tonight." Angel says.

Buffy considers this, then, never taking her eyes off him. She motions for Prue and Phoebe to set the crossbows down. "Then go ahead."

Prue frowns, "Buffy?"

Angel looks at Buffy. Then he just shakes his head.

"Not as easy as it looks." Buffy says.

Angel almost smiles.

"Sure it is." Darla says as she appears from the back stage door. Strolls towards them, her hands girlishly clasped behind her back. "Do you know what the saddest thing in the world is?"

Phoebe laughs, "Bad hair on top of that outfit? To love someone who used to love you."

Buffy keeps her eyes on Darla. Buffy holds her hands behind her back as she powers up a fireball. "So you guys were... involved."

Darla nods, "For several generations."

"Well you're going to pile up a few ex's when you've been around since Columbus. You are older than him, right? One gal to another, you look a little worn around the eyes." Buffy says.

Darla bares her fangs in a smile. "I made him. And I brought him that Gypsy girl... there was a time when we shared everything. Wasn't there, Angelus. You had a chance to come home, to rule with me in the Master's court for a thousand years. You gave all that up because of her, you love someone who hates us."

Buffy looks over at Angel. He loves her?

"You're sick and you'll always be sick and you'll always remember what it was like to watch her die. You don't think I came alone do you?"

Buffy smiles, "I know I didn't." She whips her hand around showing Darla the fireball.

Darla smiles, "Scary." And Darla unclasps her hands, revealing the two Smith and Wesson .357 revolvers she's been holding behind her back. "Scarier." She casually fires!

Buffy DIVES under the pool table. Angel takes a bullet and slams into the wall and slides to the floor.

Buffy frowns, "Angel!"

"Don't worry, bullets can't kill vampires, they can hurt like hell, but -" She fires at the pool table. The bullet takes out a chunk of it just above Buffy's head.

Prue is about to telekinetically throw Darla when Phoebe stops her.

"You could accidentally cause the vampire to shoot Buffy." Phoebe says.

Darla closes in, guns in hand. "So many body parts, so few bullets... let's begin with the kneecaps, no fun dancing without them..." She fires! Buffy pops up and throws a fireball, it goes a little wide.

Darla smirks, "Close."

Giles, Willow, Xander crawl in through the window upstairs. Peer down at the carnage below.

Xander nods, "We need to distract her."

Willow shouts, "Buffy, Prue, Phoebe, it wasn't Angel who attacked Piper, it was Darla!"

Darla turns, fires in their direction. They duck.

Xander nods, "Good, enough distraction!"

Buffy rises and pulls the pool table, yanking Darla off her feet. Darla lands on her back as Buffy pushes the table with all her might - the table flies back toward the stage. Buffy turns and runs to the counter.

Darla fires continuously at Buffy, the glass case shattering from the gunfire as Buffy flies over and behind it.

Giles spies a light mixing board near him. He scrambles to the light board, starts pounding and punching buttons like crazy. Spotlights go on, off and then a strobe.

Xander shakes his head, "I don't think we can save them with Disco Fever... Oooo, strobes..."

Angel gets to his knees, tries to stand.

Darla looks around her, momentarily thrown, then advances again on Buffy, her movements oddly jerky in the strobe's constant flash. She fires - advancing on Buffy who crouches behind the bar. "Come on, Buffy... Take it like a man."

Buffy smiles, "Sure why not." She pops up and throws a fireball at Darla just as Angel plunges the steel-tipped arrow in Darla's back."

Giles bangs on the console. The strobe stops. All that's left in the room is moonlight and silence.

Darla staggers, drops the guns. She turns to see, "Angel..."

The fireball hits Darla and she dusts. Angel looks down at the remains of his old lover, saying nothing.

Buffy looks at Angel. There is a long moment between them, then Angel steps back into total darkness. And is gone.

A couple days later in the backyard at the Manor. Buffy dishes up a plate of healthy vegetables and carries it to Piper at the table. "Here Piper, you gotta eat this. It's what the doctor said, to build up your iron. How are you feeling?"

Piper smiles, "I'm thinking I should say not so good so you'll continue to wait on me hand and foot but I cannot tell a lie: I feel fine."

Buffy nods, "Good. I was so worried about you, I mean it actually made me feel sick. If anything happened to you, Prue or Phoebe..."

Buffy looks at Piper who puts her hand on Buffy's.

"Now you know how I feel about you, Prue and Phoebe every minute of every day." Piper says.

Buffy smiles, "I guess I do. Ouch, and now I am so sorry for about a kazillion things I've put you three through since moving in." Piper smiles, they hug. "Now eat your vegetables."

Piper laughs, "I did!"

Buffy shakes her head, "Piper…"

Piper nods, "I had two big bites."

Prue and Phoebe enter the backyard. They move to stand next to Buffy. "She still not eating her vegetables?" Prue asks.

Buffy smiles, "No she's good." She winks at Piper.

That evening at the Bronze It's crowded again, music and people milling about.

Buffy, Xander and Willow enter.

Xander nods, "Ah, the post-fumigation party."

Phoebe steps in behind them.

Buffy sighs, "What's the difference between this and the pre-fumigation party?"

Phoebe laughs, "Much heartier cockroaches."

Buffy is looking around - for someone in particular, as Willow notices.

"No word from Angel?" Willow asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "No. I don't think he'll be around. It's weird, though. In a way I feel like he's still watching me."

Phoebe shakes her head, "Well, in a way, he is. In the way of that he's right over there."

Buffy, Willow and Xander turn, with very different expressions. Buffy heads for Angel. Phoebe, Xander sits with Willow, deliberately turning his back.

"I just wanted to make sure you and your sisters are okay." Angel says.

Buffy smiles, "We're all good. You?"

Angel nods, "If I can go a little while without getting shot or stabbed I'll be all right. Look... this can't..."

Buffy nods, "I know, ever be anything. For one thing you're like two hundred and twenty-four years older than I am."

Angel nods, "I just gotta... I gotta walk away from this."

"I know. Me, too." Buffy says, but neither one goes. "One of us has to go here."

Angel sighs, "I know." Still neither leaves. Then he shakes his head like he's going to go but instead he bends to kiss her. And her arms go around his neck. And oh do they kiss.

"What's going on?" Xander asks.

"Nothing." Phoebe says as she smiles. She looks at Willow who smiles.

Xander nods, "Well, as long as they're not kissing..."

Buffy and Angel finally break. She looks up at him, the cross he gave her glinting at her throat. "Are you okay?"

Angel nods, "It's just..."

Buffy nods, "Painful, I know... I'll see you around." She turns and walks away. He watches her go, pain playing on his features.