Title: Love in Darkness

Rating: G

Disclaimer: I own not Buffy, so no sue por favor, I'm just your regular fanfiction writer trying to …not be sued!  LoL.  No really, I'm like…not even old enough to drink, so come on now, why would I have money?

Author's Notes: AU!  LoL, like severely.  This is in response to a challenge that I cannot remember, but I do know that the requirements were, it takes please in season 2, Angel is human, and a senior at Sunnydale High, and there's a whole mystery about him.  But that's all I'm going to tell you, the rest, you read. ^_^

Feedback: If you review, I love you forever and you also get a nifty lil cookie!

Distribution: Lemme know and it's yours!

"Love in Darkness"

He whom love touches not walks in darkness.

Love will make men dare to die for

Their beloved love alone

And women will as well.

~ Unknown to me…

*                           *                       *                       *

"Ok, so you're telling me the cowboy hats, the cowboy boots, the flannel shirts…"

"Flannel shirts?  What, do you think us Texans are lumberjacks too?"  Angel replied giving Buffy a sly smirk.

Buffy cackled with delight, he was cool; she was starting to like the guy a lot.  "No I'm just saying you're ruining a time honored tradition of Cowboys and all that."  Angel nodded, "Well, sorry, but somebody's got to slay the stereotype."

She nodded, "I guess."

"What about you?  'Ms. California Cheerleader-slash-beauty queen-slash-Ex Valley girl.'"

Buffy nodded, "Ok, I lived the cliché, but I am so not like that anymore."  He nodded, "I noticed."  She laughed, "Thanks for it."  She clung to his arm and shivered a little, "Sorry, but it's just getting…"

"Cold?"  He said quietly, and she nodded her head in response.  "Here," he said and stopped walking her.  He slid off his jacket and slipped it on Buffy's dainty shoulders, and she said, "You won't get cold?"

"Yes."  She gave him a quick look and listened as he said, "But I'd rather be the cold one."

She gave him a small smile and quietly asked, "So…you got a girl back home?"

"Um…not really."

"Well there you go, totally ruined the stereotype, all cowboys have that girl at home, waiting for them to ride back from the sunset and all that."  He chuckled, "You've been watching too many western movies."  Her brow furrowed, "Remind me to kill Xander."

They continued quietly until she asked, "Why?"

"Huh?"

"I mean, don't take this the wrong way, but…I think you'd have any girl you wanted.  You're not like…gay or anything."

He chuckled at her last comment, "Not lately."  She smirked, "Oh really."  He nodded, "I just…haven't met…her, y'know?  The girl who I know will just…change my everything."  He smiled, "She wasn't there in Texas."  They got to the front of Buffy's door and he said, looking down and into her eyes, "But…maybe…she's here in sunny California."  She nodded slowly, "Maybe…"

She looked around, "It's getting late."

He nodded, "Monsters only play this late…" 

She looked up at him quickly and gave her a small smile, "Something my Granddah use to tell me."  She gave him a half smile, "You miss him?"  He nodded slowly as he gave her a painful smile.  She hugged him and said, "It'll be ok."

"I know…" 

He moved away from her slowly, his cheek brushing against hers and suddenly he met her eyes closer and he couldn't help but say, "You are so beautiful…" 

With that said, Buffy kissed Angel, sealing a fate neither was sure about.  She quickly pulled away and went inside leaving Angel out in the cold.

*                           *                                   *                                   *                                   *

The day whizzed by in a blur for Angel, he was still reeling from the few nights before with Buffy.  Buffy.  Her name lingered in his mind; it was like the sound of angels for him—despite the…uniqueness of it.  One thing was for sure, he'd never met anyone like this Buffy before; she was special.  With her, he felt complete, like the part of him that felt empty ever so slightly ebbed when she was near, maybe the darkness in his heart would disappear with Buffy.

However, she had Matt. 

He sighed as he sat by himself under a tree on the Quad of Sunnydale High and watched as Buffy and Matt held hands walking through the front gates of the school.  He leaned his head against the trunk of the tree and was startled by the loud, "Hey Dead boy."  He jumped up and looked around, quickly relaxing, "Hey Xander."

"Jeez, you look all beat, what's up?"

"Dead boy?"

"Yeah, dead tired."  Angel shook his head, "I…couldn't sleep."  Xander nodded slowly.

"How you been?  Enjoying Sunnydale High?"

"Actually, yeah, some of the people are nice…"  Angel stared at Buffy as his voice trailed off, "…some nicer then others…" 

Xander smirked, "You like her huh?"  Angel jumped, "What?  Who?  Huh?"  Xander cracked up with laugher, "Oh come on, it's like only written on your face."  Angel looked away.  "Come on, just…admit it."

"Ok, so…yeah, what if I do?"

"Nothing, but…"  Xander stared at Matt, "I think she likes you."

Angel stared at the slight pain on Xander's face, "You love her."

Xander looked to the ground, "Not the point, is it?"  Angel looked at Xander and said, "You know I'd never try and go for her if you…"

Xander punched him in the arm, "Don't be nice."  Angel laughed.  Xander gave him a smile and said, "Don't do me any favors, I like having you around, makes me feel less then manly with the Scoobies."

"Scoobies?"

"Uh, forget it.  If you haven't noticed, I'm the only guy who hangs out with Buffy, and me being surround just by girls, doesn't exactly make me look good."

Angel nodded, "So…"

"Go for it.  I'll be plotting your death, but…in a loving friend type way."  Angel laughed, "It's nice to know I have one friend around here."  Xander grinned, "You have four."

"So…"

Angel turned to watch as Buffy talked to Willow, "What is the first thing on the list?"

Xander stared at him, "Duh, get rid of Matt."

*                           *                                   *                                   *                                   *

Buffy gave Willow a worried look, "Will, I did something bad.  Like really bad."

"Oh my God Buffy," Willow said grabbing her hands and sitting her down next to her, "What happened?  Did…did anyone get hurt?"

"Possibly?"

"Buffy!"

"Ok, so…ok, you remember Angel."

"He's a vampire!  You know he did have that whole pale…"

"No, he's…no he's fine, he's…good, no bad…sort of…"

"Well, then what?"

"He was walking me home a couple nights ago remember?  And we were talking, having fun…"

"Oh Buffy…"

Buffy stood up and paced, "And…suddenly I forgot all about Matt, and…"

"And…?"

"I kissed him."  Buffy said slowly.  Willow's eyes widened, "What?  You…cheated on Matt."

Buffy flopped down next to Willow, "I kissed him, I didn't sleep with him, and I'm not dating them both."

"But…you…"

"I know."

"And if Matt…"

"I know," Buffy replied more seriously.

"Oh Buffy what are you going to do?"

Buffy shrugged, "I don't know."  She buried her face in her hands with frustration and said, "I finally meet a great guy, and then…I meet a greater guy."

Willow's eyes widened, "What?"  Buffy turned to Willow, "Will, he's sweet, and funny, and he…he gave me his jacket!"  Willow meeped, for lack of a better word and said, "He gave you his jacket?"

She nodded and grinned a little, "The whole cheesy romance thing."

"Awww."

Then Buffy's face darkened, "And I liked the kiss."  As an afterthought she said, "And I'm pretty sure he liked it too."  Willow turned to her, "Have you talked to him?"

She shook her head, "No.  I've been…too nervous."  Willow stood up, "Well, I think you should."

"Willow and do what?"

Willow sighed, "Buffy he's pure charm, and you're…you're smitten.  I've never seen you act like this with Matt."

"Matt."  Buffy said deep in thought, "I really don't want to hurt him." 

*                                   *                                   *                                   *                                   *

"I don't know Xander, maybe.  I am really not the sneaky vindictive type, you know?" 

"Angel, get with the program, the only way you'll get Buffy is to get Matt out of the way, and heads up here she comes," Xander stood up and waved his hand.  "Hey Buffy."  He turned to Angel and said, "Call me, and we'll talk about the plan."

Angel waved goodbye.  "Hey Buffy."

"Angel."  A pained silence overcame them both, both avoiding the other's eyes.  "So…"

"So?"  Angel replied, still looking at his shoes.

"About the other night."  He flinched, "Sorry, I…"

"I liked it," she said quickly interrupting him.  His head shot up in a rush once she said those three words.  "I want to say that it was a fluke, and it'll never happen again, but…"  She took a breath, "I'd be lying because I want it to happen again."  Angel nodded his head, "What about Matt?"

"I don't want to hurt him, and I so don't want to hurt you."  She took a deep breath, "And honestly, I'm not really clear about what's going on in my head right now."  Angel nodded, "So what are we going to do?  Because I can't stop thinking about you."

*                                   *                                   *                                   *                                   *

"Mom!  I'm home!"  Joyce descended the stairs and gave her daughter a warm smile, "Buffy you're home early, what's the occasion?"

"I um, I needed time to think, and spend time with my mommy."  She gave her mother a smile.  "Well, how sweet of you honey, how about I make your favorite, lasagna."

Buffy nodded, "That'd be great mom, I'll be in my room."  She ran up the stairs and rubbed her forehead, her head hurt from thinking so much.  She shut the door behind her.

"This is just great.  Just perfect." 

She hadn't a clue on what to do, she never really was a fan of the sordid romance, too soap opera-y for her.  However, Angel's eyes floated in her mind, she could feel the warmth of his breath, the taste of his sweet lips.  *Oh, I am so cheating on Matt… *

*                                   *                                   *                                   *                                   *

Angel opened the door to his new home and slid in quietly.  "Angel, you're home."  He swiftly spun around and said, "Hey Aunt Jenny, yeah."  He shrugged, "I'm still new around town, and I have a lot of homework to catch up on." 

She nodded, "Well, I'm going out tonight."  She clipped on an earring, moved a stray hair behind her ear, her short raven hair that went about the neck.  Jenny Calendar, the Computer Science teacher at Sunnydale High, his only living relative.  "Are you ok?" 

He nodded his head.

"You know you can't lie.  Your mother never could either when we were little kids."  She kissed his forehead and said, "But if you're anything like your mother, I won't press."

"Thanks Aunt Jen.  You going on a date?"

She smiled, "Yeah, Mr. Giles."

"The Librarian?"

"He's a lot sweeter then he seems, he's just…British."  Angel smiled, "Well, hope you have fun."  She nodded, "Don't work too hard, I'm off."  She walked to the door before saying, "And Angel…"

He looked back from the stairs, "Yes."

"Whatever it is, it'll be ok."  He nodded and watched her leave.  He moved upstairs and flopped on his bed.  He looked around, cardboard boxes still engulfed his room; he never really finished unpacking.  However, he wasn't really thinking about unpacking, his focus was more on a blond green-eyed girl.  A smile spread on his face, quickly it slowly disappeared as he remembered about her boyfriend. 

He wouldn't stand a chance.

Then the phone rang.  He slowly grabbed the receiver and even slower put the receiver to his ear, "Hello?"

"Angel…it's me…"

*                                   *                                   *                                   *                                   *

"She called you?"  Xander replied at the top of his lungs in surprise, "You're serious aren't you?"  Angel nodded over the phone, "Severely serious.  She called me.  So, she definitely wants to do this.  The only thing I have a problem about is the whole…behind the scenes, second guy on her list."  He sighed.

Xander shook his head, "You're like…way decent.  You have a lot of soul, too much in fact."

Angel shrugged, "Goes with the name I guess."

"Sometimes you have to fight for what you want, and sometimes…you have to go the sneaky way.  You have what you need right in front of you.  She wants this and you're going to let it pass?  If you do that then you are more of a retard then you think."

Angel shook his head, "I guess you're right."

"Guess I'm right?"

"Ok, so you're really right."  Xander grinned and then quickly it fell as he seriously voiced over the phone, "If you hurt her I'll hurt you with a shovel."

"A shovel?"

"A shovel.  Ask Willow, we'll be doing it together."

Angel nodded, "Warning noted."

"So what's the first thing you're going to do?"

"Give her my answer."

"You made her wait?!"