She was a vision as she strolled into the office at around noon. She donned black leather boots that trailed up her leg to her knee, a short white mini skirt that flirted with the eye, and a loose-fitting black turtle neck that accentuated her best features. The ongoing discussion suddenly halted when she appeared and all eyes, especially male ones, gaped in awe. Cordy, however, snapped out of her trance quickly, never wanting Buffy to realize how Cordy held so much jealousy toward her.
"Hey Buffy," Cordy spoke nonchalantly as she slapped the manilla folder she had been reading on top of her desk. "It's about time you showed up."
Buffy smiled awkardly as she viewed the room and the contents before taking a seat next to Xander. Wes, Cordy, and Angel were gathered around Cordy's computer researching through internet sites while Xander had comforted himself by flipping aimlessly through piles of faded books. Angel managed to tear his eyes away from Buffy before anyone noticed his gaping to gather his thoughts and focus on the problem at hand.
"Sorry," Buffy answered quietly while she stared sheepishly at the ground. "It was a long night."
"I'm sure it was but if you really want to find this necklace you are going to have to show some interest." 'Wes can be a real jackass sometimes' Buffy thought after her ex-watcher spoke.
Xander raised one of his eyebrows and opened his mouth to contest the prude english man, but Angel beat him to the punch.
"It's not Buffy's job to research, anybody can do that. It's her job to fight. If she's not rested, how can she fight well?"
Everybody looked up at the vampire, shock apparent in their eyes. However, one pair of pupils was swimming with rage.
"I don't recall asking for your help, Angel. I can take care of myself. Besides, what are you doing up? Don't you sleep during the day?" Buffy snipped in defiance. 'No way would she be upstaged by some vampire'
Angel's eyes darted to the ground helplessly as he gathered his strength to retaliate. "Well you sure weren't speaking up and yes, normally, I do sleep during the day. How astute of you to have such knowledge of vampirism," he quipped, a sarcastic tone to his final sentence.
Xander's hand immediately cut through the air in protest to the soon to be uncontrollable fight. "Enough with the sticks and stones people! We have to-"
"Kick his arrogant ass!" Buffy interrupted, now risen from her chair and poised in true slayer fashion.
Cordy and Wes immediately tried to brace Angel from any quarrels with the slayer, but he pushed them aside. 'What are you doing Angel?' he asked himself but the demon inside of him was beyond annoyed. Sure, when he and Buffy first met, they shared quips like the best of them. But now he had learned to hold his own and no ex-girlfriend, no matter how strong or how much he still loved her, would upstage him. He sauntered up to the blonde beauty, towering over her and inches from her face, and fell in love with the fire dancing in her strained eyes. He slapped on a sexy half smile and glared her down as he spoke,"What are you waiting for?"
The slayer was surprised to the core at this vampires defiance of her strength and skills. Even the worst of demons feared her and would never smart off to her. 'Maybe its the soul that makes you a jackass' she thought and laughed out loud at the thought. She wanted so badly to smear off that smile of his face but, god, was he handsome. 'Oh no you are so not attracted to him Buffy' her inner heart whispered. She pushed the idea of wanting him aside as she brought her face so close to his their noses were barely touching. Cordy, Xander, and Wes exchanged glances, wondering if the slayer did recall her love for the vampire, so they decided to wait for her reply before they interceded. Angel was beginning to lose his confidence as he felt the soft tip of her nose brush his an in effort to defy him. His hands began to quiver with pure desire and it took all of his will power not to grasp her and kiss her as passionately as he could.
Buffy glared at him, her features softening as she assessed her rapidly growing feelings for the creature before her. Angel noticed and released the tension in his body as well, wondering if memory knows a loop hole out of the spell. Buffy smiled sweetly and slowly stepped back, causing her body to immediately reject the distance between the two. 'Damnit you so do not want him!' her head screamed and this time she listened. As Angel smiled slowly back in return, Buffy reared back and slugged him square across his cheekbone, sending him sprawling to the floor. As Cordy scolded the slayer and Wes lunged to the vampire's side, Xander stood up by Buffy proving he agreed with her reaction and supported her strongly. Buffy stood motionless before the scene, her hands placed strategically on her hips and her face a mask of stubborness. After his world ceased to spin, Angel rose his head to the slayer with confusion apparent on his features. Cordy glared with pure hatred at the slayer, as did Wes, but Buffy didn't seem to notice, or care. She thought through her words carefully before she spoke.
"Please don't make me fight you." Sadness tinged her words as she continued,"Maybe this," she gestured to the group in general," was a bad idea. I can handle this myself. I-I don't need you." With her final words she turned on her heel and exited hastily from the group. Angel rose up from the floor and followed her, leaving a stunned three-some behind.

She felt him coming from behind her before he was there, grabbing her arm and twisting her to face him. She took in the sight of his usually flawless face, now stained with a purging bruise, and immediately began to whimper.
"I'm so sorry for hitting you and I don't even know why I am sorry. I barely know you," she whispered softly as he gazed at her solemnly. She felt the sudden urge to kiss him, but she fought it off the best she could as he faced her, feet apart.
Angel shoved his quaking hands into his pockets as he watched his beloved torture herself over memories she couldn't recall. Her eyes twitched in anticipation for him to react, any way, so she could be sure he had heard her voice.
"Buffy," he said in a way that sounded like he knew her, which she deeply resented, "Don't go. You may not want our help, but I know you need it. This is a powerful tool we are talking about here. I'm going to be fighting this with or without you. It would just be easier if we fought....together."
She rose her tear-strained cheeks to his face and nodded slowly. "So, you aren't mad about the whole kick-your-ass thing?"
God she was cute, he thought. "I've been beat up worse than this."
Unable to help herself, Buffy indulged in a smile, but quickly buried the expression. "Just let me do my thing and I won't give you a record-setting beating."
He laughed lightly and gestured for them to join the others, which she agreed to.