Buffy woke, stiff, groggy, disoriented and feeling like she had a mouth full of cotton. She sat up and didn't see Willow, though she was sure she had felt Willow beside her in the night. Looking around she saw Mac's pride and joy hanging on the wall and realized she was at his place. She smiled. Next to Will and Xander, Mac had become her best friend ever.

            Smiling she got up and pulled off the rest of her clothes and took a long shower. When she stepped out she found a pile of fluffy towels waiting for her. She used one around her hair and another around her body and stepped into the bedroom, smiling to see Willow on the freshly made bed.

            "Hey Will! Did you sleep in here with me last night?" Buffy asked and started to towel dry her hair.

            "Yep, slept with you and wasn't even tempted!" Willow replied cheerfully and Buffy laughed. "Har Har, I thank you. I have too many lovers, ex and otherwise hanging around the place anyway."

            "Buffy, Giles took Angel back to LA last night, or more accurately, this morning."

            Buffy sank to the bed and covered her face, "Thank you God." She said, her voice muffled. Looking up she met her best friend's eyes, "What am I going to do? Last night made me face it. I love Methos, and it fills me like a cup or something. I don't even know if he likes me anymore." Buffy flopped back on the bed with a dejected sigh, then got up to get dressed.

            Willow looked at her friend in sympathy, "Buffy, I don't think you have to worry." They both looked up as Dawn came in. The sisters hugged and Willow pointed at Dawn, "Tell her that she doesn't have to worry whether Adam loves her or not." She demanded and Dawn looked at Buffy, "Oh Buffy, if you could have seen his eyes. I don't think you have to worry." She laughed. "See?" said Willow.

            Sighing in relief and a little of the ache removed from her heart she turned to them, "I need something fabulous to wear!"

            "That's my Buffy!" Dawn said with affection. "Shopping is the cure for all evils!" Willow said and they laughed.

            The girls came out of the bedroom and Duncan, Xander and Richie smiled in admiration of the pretty women.

            "Hey Buff." Xander got up and kissed her, "You look better. How are you?" Buffy smiled at him, "I'm great! We're going shopping!"

            The men groaned and the girls got their purses but Duncan stopped Buffy and gave her something. "Mac no!" She said, eyes wide. "Please, for me?" Duncan used his puppy dog brown eyes to good effect and Buffy sighed and kissed him on the cheek. "Thanks Mac."

            They left and Duncan and Richie sighed in relief. Xander had fallen asleep on the couch in self-defense.

            Richie called the girrls and let them know that Buffy was ok, and yes, she knew that Mr. Pierson wasn't the schmuck they thought he was. He arranged for next weeks training and teased them a bit before hanging up. When the phone rang again Richie covered his ears, "La La La, I'm not here." He sang and Duncan sighed impatiently from his paperwork, got up and answered the phone.

            "Duncan, how is she?" came Methos anxious voice.

            "She's fine Adam, she just left with Willow and Dawn to 'shop til they drop'. He said and listened to the silence on the other end of the phone.

            "What should I do Duncan?" he asked quietly and Duncan looked wildly to Xander who, along with Richie, was listening shamelessly. "Flowers are always good." He shrugged and Xander nodded enthusiastically, "No roses. Angel got her roses." Duncan nodded, "Xander says no roses, they'll remind her of Angel."

            Methos nodded to himself, "Tell him thanks." then hung up. Duncan looked at the phone and shook his head.

            He walked down the street, enjoying the summer day. He walked into the florist and stopped dead, it was filled with women and was a veritable zoo. Ignoring the admiring glances from assorted women he pushed himself to the counter, "Yes, I need two dozen calla lilies, in pink and white." There were oohs from some of them women and he glanced around, a little uncomfortably. The girl gave him a card, "What do you want to say?" Methos shook his head, "I'll write it."

            As he stood there in thought he heard the sound of windchimes. Looking up he saw one that was made with tiny blue fairies, blue glass beads and thin chimes that sounded lovely. "I'll take one of those as well." He pointed and the saleswoman nodded. He finished the card, tucking it into the box she had prepared, and paid for the lot, then muscled his way back through the women and left with a sigh of relief.

            Buffy, Dawn and Willow were having a blast. When they had gotten to the street Buffy had shown them what Duncan had handed to her. It was an American Express card and they ooohed. "He said to use this as his gift to us." She said a little bewildered and Willow smiled, "Too bad I'm a lesbian or I'd keep him." She smiled and the girls all laughed and went shopping.

            The girls had shopped, gotten their hair and nails done and found a fabulous shoe store. They had almost finished when Buffy had stopped dead outside a jewelry/antique store and stared into the window. There on display was something that would be absolutely perfect for Methos. She pointed it out to Willow who nodded her head and Buffy went in and purchased it on the spot, but with her own money. This was a personal gift.

            Methos had been busy the entire day, planning with Mrs. Neely at the bed and breakfast and was extremely anxious. On his way back he too had stopped at a jewelry store, stopped by a necklace in the window and went in a made what felt like the most important purchase of his life.

            The girls swept back into the loft, arms full of shopping bags and female laughter. Duncan had done the training for the day, and was back in the loft. Richie had finished up studying for exams and Xander had finished his nap and was watching football when the girls came in.

            The girls had put on an impromptu fashion show for the men who were properly appreciative. Xander had seen the Victoria's secret bag in Dawn's hands, but when she handed it off to Buffy he had sighed. Duncan had seen the bag as well and shook his head in sympathy for Methos, 'He's not going to know what hit him'. He thought smugly.

            Richie ordered pizza for the group and they had just finished and Duncan was telling a story of how Connor had fallen into a loch in Scotland when he was showing off for a woman when there came a knock at the door.

            Richie answered it and found a delivery boy with his arms full of a white florists box. "Buffy, it's for you." He said and Buffy stood and went to the door. She took the box, carrying it back to the table and opened to the oohs and aahs of the girls. The pink and white lilies were nestled in pink tissue paper and Buffy sighed, "Aren't they gorgeous?" Duncan paid the delivery boy and closed the door, then found a vase for Buffy to arrange them in.

            Buffy then opened the card and sat down abruptly, overwhelmed.

            "Buffy, your decision to move here and stay has changed my life. Have dinner with me tomorrow at 6:30? M"

            Buffy smiled, "I've got a date tomorrow." She handed the card to Willow who read it and passed it around. Dawn gasped, "Oh Buffy, you have to wear 'the dress'." And Willow nodded.

            "Oh yeah."

            The girls laughed and the men were curious and slightly alarmed.

            The next day Methos supervised the arrangements of the dinner with Mrs. Neely; they had planned it for the gazebo. Her gardens were full of flowers already, so all that was needed was a table and chairs, which Methos bought and gave to Mrs. Neely as a present. He decided against music, instead opting for the wind chimes in the tree beside the gazebo, and was pleased by the effect. He put fairy lights up and Mrs. Neely nodded, "That's just right dear."

            Richie had escaped along with Xander to the dojo, so Duncan was unprepared when he arrived to find the loft filled with pounding music, feminine laughter and the smell of women. He smiled and sat back to enjoy the show.

            Buffy took a bath for her date. Dawn and Willow did her makeup and hair, and she finished dressing.

            Dawn shook her head, "You're a man eater." She said and Willow laughed, "Poor guy. He won't know what hit him."

            Buffy walked out and Duncan put down his book and gaped.

            She was a queenly 5'6" in 3 inch heels that were blue, and had criss-crossed straps drawing attention to her shapely ankles. Her dress was a vivid blue with purple undertones, and left her shoulders bare. It was knee length and the color made her glow.

            Her hair was pulled back in a twist with curls around her face that was expertly made up, her lips a pale, pale pink.

            Duncan carefully placed the book on the coffee table and stood, "Damn him, I saw you first." He complained and Buffy blushed. He crossed to kiss her cheek and said, "You look amazing. Adam is going to swallow his tongue."

            Dawn and Willow laughed and Buffy took her shawl and fingered it nervously. There was a knock at the door and Buffy panicked. "Should I stay or come out of the bedroom." She hissed to Willow.

            Duncan pointed, "I want to enjoy the moment, go into the bedroom." He watched Buffy dash in with a smile and went to answer the door.

            "Hello old friend, what brings you here this fine evening?" Duncan asked jovially and Methos brushed past him and walked into the loft.

            "Knock it off Duncan, is Buffy ready?" he asked and smiled uneasily at the girls who smiled back.

            "Oh Buffy, you'rre date is herrre!" Duncan rolled his rr's and Dawn got the giggles.