"Hmm, Riley," Buffy mused, "that's an interesting name."
Riley shrugged and sat down in the spot that Willow and Xander had vacated just a minute ago. "Not quite as interesting as the name Buffy."
"I've always been different," Buffy said dryly.
Riley grinned. "I know."
"You… you know?" Buffy questioned with wide eyes.
"Well… yeah," Riley said giving her a weird look. "You're not like other girls. You're different."
"You have no idea," Buffy muttered.
"It's not a bad thing. In fact, I'd take it as a compliment."
Buffy smiled at his cute attempts at flirting with her. He was nice, handsome, obviously rich, but… definitely not Angel. And *that* was the only thing that mattered.
"So, what's a pretty girl like you doing out here all alone?" Riley asked.
Buffy winced. Here it was. The perfect chance to tell him all about Angel and how she was very involved with someone. "I don't know… I've always been a loner."
'Oh, that was smooth, Summers, very smooth,' Buffy told herself inwardly.
"So, there isn't… anyone, then?"
"Don't you think that isn't any of your business?" Buffy fixed him with an icy glare, making it clear that *she* didn't think that it was any of his business. 'He's probably talked to my mother or something…'
Riley blushed. "You're right. That was very forward of me. But I must admit that I haven't been completely honest with you. I talked to your mother earlier and she made it seem like you were open for…" Riley coughed into his hand, "conversation."
Buffy rolled her eyes. 'And what a fun conversation this is turning out to be.' "My mother?" She asked, trying to keep her voice light.
Riley nodded. "She's a very nice women."
"I'll bet," Buffy muttered. Great. Now, she *couldn't* mention Angel without it getting back to her mother. And if her mother found out about some old stranger, then the words "there would be trouble" was a gross understatement. Of course, that wasn't even bringing up the vampire thing.
"Anyway, she mentioned that you were looking around for a… husband."
'Oh boy," Buffy groaned inwardly, 'this is worse than I thought. Time for a serious chat with mommy-dearest.' "I thought that you just found me now. Isn't that strange? It's almost as if you've been watching me. But I'm sure that a gentleman like yourself would never do something like that."
Riley turned crimson. "Maybe I haven't been telling you the whole truth."
Buffy feigned surprise. "Really?"
Riley didn't pick up the sarcasm in her voice. "I have been watching you, and I've decided that I've never seen anyone like you before and—"
'Uh oh, time to make one of those quick get-aways.' Buffy stood up. "You know what? This has been fun, and I hope to do it again sometime. But I just remembered that I have that… thing. Yes, that thing. Bye."
Riley stared after her with wide eyes. "She's a little peculiar."
Buffy wandered around the long winding halls of the titanic hoping that some luck would be on her side and she would magically run into Willow or Xander. "Stupid Riley and his stupid conversations," she muttered under her breath. Looking around she sighed and resigned herself to face the harsh reality that she was lost.
"Well this is just great," Buffy muttered to herself as she continued to steer randomly down the long winding halls of the 'titanic.' "This is just wonderful. I don't know where I am, my friends disappeared, and the man of my dreams is no where to be seen."
Buffy groaned and wandered down another long winding hall that looked surprising familiar. "That's because you've already been down it, genius." Buffy looked carefully around to make sure that no one was watching her. "You've got the strangest thing with talking to yourself, Buffy. I really think that you should stop it now before you end up in an insane asylum. That is where they put people that swear they kill vampires."
Buffy's eyes ticked wearily to the stateroom numbers, in hopes that they would give her a clue as to where she was. 208, 209, 210, 211, 212... nope, it wasn't helping.
"Buffy!"
Buffy turned her head at the sound of her name being called. When she saw the person doing the calling, she sighed wearily and plastered on a big fake smile. "Mom... hi."
"What are you doing down here, sweetie?"
'Well, I ran down here in hopes of escaping the man that you sent sniffing me out.' Somehow Buffy didn't think that her mother would take that as an acceptable answer. "I'm lost," Buffy admitted.
"Did you meet Riley?" Joyce asked excitedly.
"Yes... but..."
"Isn't he wonderful? I talked to the young man earlier today, and he seemed very interested in you." Joyce went on as if she didn't even hear her daughter talk.
"Really? How surprising," Buffy muttered sarcastically.
Buffy's mother grabbed her arm and dragged her down the hall. "I know his mother. Charming woman, I must say. Very rich, family. I do hope that he will propose to you."
"Oh, yes," Buffy agreed. "That would be all my dreams come true."
Joyce didn't pick up on the bitterness in her voice. "I'm very happy about this, Buffy."
"I've noticed."
"Riley seems like such a nice man," Joyce gushed as she continued to lead Buffy through the ship. Buffy tried frantically to follow the turns they were taking, but she had to admit that she would be completely lost if it weren't for the arm that Joyce was gripping. "I think that he could make you very happy."
"I'm sure he could." 'If I felt even a tenth of what I feel for him as I do, Angel,' Buffy added silently.
"What do you think of him, honey?"
'Nice of you to ask my opinion, mother,' Buffy thought. "I don't know… I've only had one conversation with him," Buffy answered carefully, she didn't want to inadvertently say the wrong thing. "Plus, you know what they say about sea board romances and all that…"
The elder Summer's woman frowned. "No, I don't believe that I do know."
"They're bad. Very, very bad." Buffy supplied quickly.
"Buffy, is there something you aren't telling me?"
'Yes, he's cryptic, prefers blood, and looks like an angel.' Buffy plastered on a fake smile. "No, not at all. I'm being very honest. Painfully. Honest."
Her mother sighed. "Sometimes I wonder what goes on in the head of yours."
"Not as much as I do," Buffy murmured.
Joyce shook her head. "So what's the final verdict on Riley?"
"Look, mom, I mean this in the nicest way possible, Riley is nice. Very handsome. And apparently rich, too. But I just don't think I'm ready for… marriage."
"Buffy don't be silly. You're 17."
Buffy stared at her mother and wondered if she would ever get it. "I don't think that age is what should define whether or not you're ready to spend the rest of your life with one person."
Joyce looked a little hurt. "I'm sorry… I just thought you might appreciate what I was doing for you. Young me aren't exactly banging your door down."
'Well, when you have the kind of job that I have, meeting people usually gets them dead.' Buffy groaned when she realized that they were back out on the promenade. And there was Riley, looking out at the ocean with an amused smile twitching his lips. Buffy quickly moved as far away as she could, hoping that her mother didn't notice.
Unfortunately, Joyce *had* noticed, and she wasn't about to let the opportunity pass her by. "Riley," she called happily, walking quickly up to him, "how are you, dear?"
Riley smiled pleasantly. "Mrs. Summer's. It is an honor to see you again."
Joyce beamed. "Buffy was just talking about you. Isn't that right, honey?" Joyce turned, looking for an answer. "Buffy? Buffy?? BUFFY???"
Buffy walked away quickly, hoping that her mother hadn't noticed her fast get-away. She was relieved when she found that her mother wasn't running after her, screaming her name at the top of her lungs. She knew that Joyce meant well, and she loved her mother for it, but sometimes she wished that she could tell her the things that were supposed to be kept secret.
Like the slaying.
And Angel.
Actually, Buffy wasn't sure about the last part. Angel *was* a vampire, of that there was not getting out of, but maybe she could introduce Angel and her mother and just never bring up the whole "vampire thing". Joyce would probably accept that, wouldn't she?
Buffy sighed and hit herself on the head when she realized that she was hopelessly lost again. Giles was right when he was explaining the fact that the 'Titanic' was the biggest ship ever made. She mentally cursed herself for her most annoying deep thoughts and tried to concentrate on the way that she took to get herself to where she was.
Buffy was backing up, chewing on her bottom lip in concentration when she ran smack into someone.
"Is this becoming a habit?"
Xander. Barely taking the time to fully take him in, Buffy launched herself into his arms and hugged him tightly. "I found you! I found you!"
Xander thought that he might really be having some trouble breathing. Then, he realized exactly whom he has holding in his arms. His body immediately responded to the fact that Buffy was pressed right up against him… and she pulled away and looked at him hopefully.
"Did you find out where Angel is?"
Xander forced out a thin smile. Apparently Buffy hadn't just had a total turn around in realizing the error of her ways. "I tried, but everyone I asked just laughed in my face. It was kind of degrading, actually."
"Oh," Buffy muttered, disappointed.
"But I'm sure that Willow was able to get it," Xander added with as much enthusiasm he could muster.
Buffy tried to look optimistic. "That would be nice."
"What's the biggie, anyway? I mean, he did say that he would find you tonight, right?"
Buffy smiled sadly. "He did, but I can't help but feel like we're treading on the brink of something really big and we should just enjoy our time while we have it, you know? Maybe it's a slayer thing. There's no telling how long I'm going to be alive for."
Xander's mind rebuked the idea of Buffy losing a battle of the supernatural. "You have back up now, Buff. Nothing will happen to you."
Buffy smiled fondly at him—kind of broke Xander's heart a little to just know it was fondly—and gave him another hug. "Thanks, Xander. That means a lot."
"No problem," Xander choked out, overcome by the feel of holding Buffy in his arms once again.
This time it was Xander who pulled away. "Come on, I think I know where to find, Willow."
"Are you supposed to be working right now?" Buffy questioned as Xander led her through the ship. She was fairly certain that sometime soon she would need to make up a map to find her way around.
"If anyone asks, I'm helping the lady," Xander said quickly.
"Of course." The two pressed on in silence, Buffy was enjoying having the silent companionship, and Xander was reveling in the time spent with Buffy *alone*. "Do you even know where Willow is?" Buffy finally asked, breaking the silence.
Xander turned crimson when he realized that he had been watching Buffy more than he had been paying attention to where Willow may or may not be. "Sort of," he mumbled.
"Sort of, like 'yes, I have an idea', or sort of like, 'I have not clue?'"
"I do have *some* idea," Xander muttered, "I know that she works with the first class."
"That *is* helpful," Buffy sighed.
"We'll find her eventually," Xander said reassuringly.
Buffy stood still and looked at Xander with a questioning look. "This has to be the calmest ship that I have ever been on. I don't feel any tremors or anything."
Xander nodded. "I heard that the Captain is speeding up, too. Wants to break speed records or something."
"Isn't that a little dangerous?" Buffy shivered, like she sometimes did when she knew that there was some new vampire that needed to be dusted. "It's pretty cold in the ocean at this time of year."
"The captain has been sailing for many years now, Buffy. I'm sure that he knows what he's doing. Besides, this ship is unsinkable." Xander chastised, as if he was talking to a regular girl with a case of the "jitters".
Buffy sighed. She wasn't a normal girl—she was the slayer. And she knew what bad signs were when she got them. Although, apparently Xander still couldn't accept the fact that she wasn't ordinary. "What are you going to do in America once you get there?" Buffy questioned, ready to change the subject.
"I don't know… I was thinking about doing some manual labor, or building. I'm good at doing things with my hands."
Buffy smiled longingly. "I wish that I was free to do whatever I liked."
Xander patted her hand. "Come one! You have got to be the first slayer in history to have such cool friends."
"That's for sure." Buffy gave a little chuckle, thinking about how she was the *only* slayer in history to try and have friends.
"So what about finding Willow?" Xander reminded her.
"Right. Willow." Buffy gave a wry smile thinking of the red-head. Of course, thinking about Willow led to thinking about why they were looking for her in the first place. That led to thinking about certain dark, charming, vampires.
"Why don't we check the promenade?" Xander suggested.
"NO!" Buffy cried. "I will *not* go back on the promenade."
"Why not?"
"My mom met a man."
Xander frowned. "I thought your mother was married."
"A man that she thought would make a perfect husband for her dearest darling daughter."
"Oh," Xander said. "And I'm guessing that this mysterious man wasn't Angel."
"No, he certainly wasn't," Buffy agreed.
"What was his name?"
"Finn."
Xander raised his eyebrows, "Finn like a fish?"
"Finn like a Fish. I think he said that his first name was Riley."
"I've heard of his family. They're supposed to be rich." Xander grimaced, "I hate rich people."
Buffy pouted. "I miss Angel."
Xander groaned. "I know, I know. Angel, Angel, Angel! I'm sure that's all you think about, too."
Buffy didn't deny it, and Xander didn't ask.
A short time later, Buffy and Xander stumbled upon a maid cleaning the floor of the dining hall. The maid introduced herself as Amy, and told them that Willow had just gone off to the first class promenade to look for her friends. Buffy and Xander gave her their thanks, and Buffy reluctantly found herself facing the ocean again.
Luckily, neither Riley nor Joyce was within seeing distance, so Buffy allowed herself to relax slightly. "Okay, don't make any loud movements that will draw attention to us," Buffy whispered urgently to Xander.
"Would I do something like that?" Xander demanded sounding offended.
Buffy's resounding glare was his only response.
"Where *is* Willow?" Buffy muttered, squinting out across the deck.
Xander looked in the opposite direction, finally pointing at a small girl off in the distance, talking with someone. Buffy let out a line of curses under her breath that made Xander blush when she realized just whom her friend was talking to.
"I *won't* go over there," Buffy stated.
Xander shrugged. "Fine."
Buffy sighed and began walking towards the pair. "For Angel. For Angel. For Angel," she repeated, as the distance closed way too quickly.
As Buffy neared she began to hear snippets of the conversations. "And I want, two more towels, but they have to be *white* this time. Do we have an understanding? I don't want to come to my stateroom to see green towels hanging on the rack!!! And the pillows? Hello! They need to be *feather*!!! How hard is it for you people to get these things right??? Jeez! And you say that this is the most elegant ship ever."
Buffy saw Willow nod her head and look down, clearly very intimidated by the sparkling first-class passenger that she was supposed to be helping. Buffy bristled with anger and marched up to Willow's side, glaring at her child-hood nemesis. Cordelia Chase.
"Still, getting all your money from your father, Cordy? What? Haven't found a rich husband yet? Or do they just all run in fear once they learn your *real* personality?"
Cordelia sniffed, and gave Buffy a wide smile, showing two rows of perfectly straight whitened teeth. "Buffy, Buffy," she said sadly, "last I heard, your mother was taking you back to America since you already scared away all the males living in this part of the world."
Buffy glared and Cordelia glared right back. Xander shifted uncomfortably, feeling like he had missed something. Finally, Buffy grabbed Willows arm, "Come on. Let's go."
Willow looked at her helplessly. "I would but… I need to do what she asks. It's kind of my job."
Buffy folded her arms over her chest. "Fine, but I need you too. So I guess I'm just going to have to stick around until you're available."
"Glad to see that you're going to learn how to do a servants work before you're forced into that position." Cordelia looked her over. "Although, that may be soon."
"Oh good, I have a job recommendation from Queen C. My life is now complete," Buffy sniped.
Xander held up his hands. "Wow, we have some animosity here." Both girls in question gave him matching "no kidding" looks.
Willow frowned. "Why don't I just give you that number for that… thing."
Buffy's eyes lit up. "Oh, right! The number for the… um… thing."
"214," Willow said.
Buffy squealed with joy and gave Willow an enthusiastic hug. "I'm in debt to you forever!"
Cordelia coughed. "Not that this isn't sickening… but what thing, exactly, is this for?"
Buffy shrugged. "None. Of. Your. Business."
The brunette looked as if she might pop. Everyone else's business was her business by right! "It wouldn't happen to be the room number of say… a handsome young man?"
Buffy froze.
"Would he happen to be going by the name of… Angel?"
Buffy's eyes sparked with anger. "Stay out of my life," she hissed.
Cordelia raised her eyebrows. "Oooh, did I strike a nerve?"
Buffy bit her lip and willed herself to calm down. She was fairly certain that she might get into some trouble if she used some of her slayer strength on a weak little innocent.
Cordelia looked at her perfectly polished fingernails and grinned. "I met him last night. Charming man, I must say. All broken up about some blonde girl that apparently left him all by his lonesome. Of course, I did everything I could to make him feel better."
"I'll bet," Buffy snapped.
Xander looked back and forth between the two girls. "I just realized that I need to go." Without another word, he took off and swore to never get between two women.
Cordelia sighed dramatically and patted Buffy's cheek. "I have to go and make myself look nice for dinner. Something that you might try yourself at some point." Cordelia turned her back and snapped her fingers. "Willow!"
Willow gave the slayer an apologetic look before hurrying off after Cordelia. Buffy found herself all alone on the deck, fuming at a certain brunette with way too much money and time on her hands. "And what did she say about Angel, anyway?" Buffy mumbled aloud. She got a few questioning glances, but she smiled sweetly until the passengers moved on. "Comforting him. Ha! I bet five minutes with her and Angel couldn't wait to get away."
Buffy felt her stomach bottom out. Just because *she* couldn't spend five minutes in the same room as Cordelia didn't mean that Angel couldn't. Besides, men liked Cordelia. Buffy had learned at least that much from her child-hood nemesis.
Buffy shivered and she realized that it was getting chilly out on the promenade.
'Might as well go look for that stateroom… good old number 214. Once Angel sees me, he'll forget all about stupid Cordelia.' Buffy frowned. Now all she had to do was figure out how to get there.
20 minutes later, Buffy stood outside 214. She couldn't help but feel like she had been in this part of the ship at some point earlier that day. Shrugging, she figured that her internal senses were all thrown off from being on a ship as big as a country.
She felt her heart speed up when she realized just *who* stood on the other side of that door. Suddenly feeling dizzy, Buffy backed away from the door and stood on the opposite wall. This was it. Her chance to see him. None of the other stuff mattered. Not Riley. Not her mother. And not Cordelia.
Angel was on the other side of that door.
Woozily Buffy forced herself to her feet. 'I hope you realize how embarrassing this is. You're acting almost as if you're intoxicated.' Buffy gave a short bitter chuckle at the thought. She was drunk… drunk on love.
She stumbled back to other side of the hall and raised a shaking fist to knock. Before her hand made contact with the door, a chorus of 'what ifs?' started up in her head, like a never-ending stream of loud melodies. What if Angel did like Cordelia better? What if he realized what a big mistake he'd made last night? What if he was offended that she came to him when he had said that he would find her?
Buffy knocked her knuckles against the shiny wood door.
Buffy jumped a little as the knock echoed through the hallway like a roll of thunder in the mountains. Looking around guiltily, Buffy nervously reached up to make sure her hair was firmly in place. Seeing that it was, she mentally checked her clothes to make sure they weren't wrinkly. They weren't. She tapped her foot impatiently against the floor waiting for an answer.
She didn't get one.
Nobody came to answer the door. No one came to see who it was. There was no shuffling around. No movement or voice. There was nothing.
"Not good. Not good. Not good." Buffy whispered to herself as she rechecked the number on the door. It was still the same. 214. Angel's room. "Maybe he just went out for a stroll." Buffy rolled her eyes and hit herself on the forehead. "No, you idiot!" she hissed under her breath, "it's sunny out!"
Buffy sighed and looked around again, hoping for some clue. Finding none, she stared at the door in disgust. "I guess that I have the wrong number…." Buffy nodded and decided that was the problem. All she had to do was find Willow again and make sure that she had heard correctly. Buffy turned her back to the door and took two trembling strides forward. Pausing she closed her eyes.
'If I have the wrong number, why do I feel like he's staring at me right now? Watching me walk away… and not caring.'
Buffy took a deep breath and spun around, facing the dreaded door once again. Walking decidedly up to it, she pounded her fist as loud as she could against it. "Angel! I know that you're in there!"
She felt the door buckle a little under the weight of her hand, and Buffy pulled away with a wry smile on her lips. Seemed like the 'Titanic' wasn't good enough for a slayer. Licking her lips, Buffy glared at the door. "Come on! Why don't you want to talk to me?"
Her ears picked up on some shuffling going on in the inside. 'Finally!' Buffy thought. She leaned her head against the door, and pressed her ear right up against the wood in order to hear better. The shuffling got a little closer, and Buffy felt her heart start pounding furiously again.
She gave a yelp of surprise when the door was ripped open. Stumbling back, Buffy tripped and fell on her butt in the middle of the hallway. Stunned, she raised her eyes and took in the person in front of her. He stood ramrod straight, glaring down at her. Buffy's breath caught in her throat when her eyes fell on his chest.
He wasn't wearing a shirt.
Buffy took a deep shuddering breath and licked her extremely dry lips in order to get herself under control. Her gaze finally landed on his face, and she felt disheartened to note that his face was a mask, and his eyes locked on her in a disapproving glance.
"What are you doing here?" he demanded.
Buffy blushed, embarrassed. "I wanted to see you."
Angel looked stunned for a minute as if he didn't know how to reply. Quickly, he replaced the expression with a scowl. "Go away."
Buffy felt a sudden sharp pain in her chest. "Wh… what?"
"Go. Away." Angel repeated, his eyes shooting daggers at her.
Buffy's mind whirled as she tried to take in why he was asking her to do that. Confused, and hurt, she struggled to keep her eyes on his face. "Why are you saying that?" she managed to choke out.
Angel hesitated again, but then the hard cold look in his eyes immediately took over. Without another word he turned his back and slammed the door.
Buffy stared at the place where he had disappeared in shock. "Angel?" she whimpered, wondering how it was possible that she was sitting here on the floor in so much pain, while he was in there chuckling at the knowledge that he had just played a slayer.
TBC
Riley shrugged and sat down in the spot that Willow and Xander had vacated just a minute ago. "Not quite as interesting as the name Buffy."
"I've always been different," Buffy said dryly.
Riley grinned. "I know."
"You… you know?" Buffy questioned with wide eyes.
"Well… yeah," Riley said giving her a weird look. "You're not like other girls. You're different."
"You have no idea," Buffy muttered.
"It's not a bad thing. In fact, I'd take it as a compliment."
Buffy smiled at his cute attempts at flirting with her. He was nice, handsome, obviously rich, but… definitely not Angel. And *that* was the only thing that mattered.
"So, what's a pretty girl like you doing out here all alone?" Riley asked.
Buffy winced. Here it was. The perfect chance to tell him all about Angel and how she was very involved with someone. "I don't know… I've always been a loner."
'Oh, that was smooth, Summers, very smooth,' Buffy told herself inwardly.
"So, there isn't… anyone, then?"
"Don't you think that isn't any of your business?" Buffy fixed him with an icy glare, making it clear that *she* didn't think that it was any of his business. 'He's probably talked to my mother or something…'
Riley blushed. "You're right. That was very forward of me. But I must admit that I haven't been completely honest with you. I talked to your mother earlier and she made it seem like you were open for…" Riley coughed into his hand, "conversation."
Buffy rolled her eyes. 'And what a fun conversation this is turning out to be.' "My mother?" She asked, trying to keep her voice light.
Riley nodded. "She's a very nice women."
"I'll bet," Buffy muttered. Great. Now, she *couldn't* mention Angel without it getting back to her mother. And if her mother found out about some old stranger, then the words "there would be trouble" was a gross understatement. Of course, that wasn't even bringing up the vampire thing.
"Anyway, she mentioned that you were looking around for a… husband."
'Oh boy," Buffy groaned inwardly, 'this is worse than I thought. Time for a serious chat with mommy-dearest.' "I thought that you just found me now. Isn't that strange? It's almost as if you've been watching me. But I'm sure that a gentleman like yourself would never do something like that."
Riley turned crimson. "Maybe I haven't been telling you the whole truth."
Buffy feigned surprise. "Really?"
Riley didn't pick up the sarcasm in her voice. "I have been watching you, and I've decided that I've never seen anyone like you before and—"
'Uh oh, time to make one of those quick get-aways.' Buffy stood up. "You know what? This has been fun, and I hope to do it again sometime. But I just remembered that I have that… thing. Yes, that thing. Bye."
Riley stared after her with wide eyes. "She's a little peculiar."
Buffy wandered around the long winding halls of the titanic hoping that some luck would be on her side and she would magically run into Willow or Xander. "Stupid Riley and his stupid conversations," she muttered under her breath. Looking around she sighed and resigned herself to face the harsh reality that she was lost.
"Well this is just great," Buffy muttered to herself as she continued to steer randomly down the long winding halls of the 'titanic.' "This is just wonderful. I don't know where I am, my friends disappeared, and the man of my dreams is no where to be seen."
Buffy groaned and wandered down another long winding hall that looked surprising familiar. "That's because you've already been down it, genius." Buffy looked carefully around to make sure that no one was watching her. "You've got the strangest thing with talking to yourself, Buffy. I really think that you should stop it now before you end up in an insane asylum. That is where they put people that swear they kill vampires."
Buffy's eyes ticked wearily to the stateroom numbers, in hopes that they would give her a clue as to where she was. 208, 209, 210, 211, 212... nope, it wasn't helping.
"Buffy!"
Buffy turned her head at the sound of her name being called. When she saw the person doing the calling, she sighed wearily and plastered on a big fake smile. "Mom... hi."
"What are you doing down here, sweetie?"
'Well, I ran down here in hopes of escaping the man that you sent sniffing me out.' Somehow Buffy didn't think that her mother would take that as an acceptable answer. "I'm lost," Buffy admitted.
"Did you meet Riley?" Joyce asked excitedly.
"Yes... but..."
"Isn't he wonderful? I talked to the young man earlier today, and he seemed very interested in you." Joyce went on as if she didn't even hear her daughter talk.
"Really? How surprising," Buffy muttered sarcastically.
Buffy's mother grabbed her arm and dragged her down the hall. "I know his mother. Charming woman, I must say. Very rich, family. I do hope that he will propose to you."
"Oh, yes," Buffy agreed. "That would be all my dreams come true."
Joyce didn't pick up on the bitterness in her voice. "I'm very happy about this, Buffy."
"I've noticed."
"Riley seems like such a nice man," Joyce gushed as she continued to lead Buffy through the ship. Buffy tried frantically to follow the turns they were taking, but she had to admit that she would be completely lost if it weren't for the arm that Joyce was gripping. "I think that he could make you very happy."
"I'm sure he could." 'If I felt even a tenth of what I feel for him as I do, Angel,' Buffy added silently.
"What do you think of him, honey?"
'Nice of you to ask my opinion, mother,' Buffy thought. "I don't know… I've only had one conversation with him," Buffy answered carefully, she didn't want to inadvertently say the wrong thing. "Plus, you know what they say about sea board romances and all that…"
The elder Summer's woman frowned. "No, I don't believe that I do know."
"They're bad. Very, very bad." Buffy supplied quickly.
"Buffy, is there something you aren't telling me?"
'Yes, he's cryptic, prefers blood, and looks like an angel.' Buffy plastered on a fake smile. "No, not at all. I'm being very honest. Painfully. Honest."
Her mother sighed. "Sometimes I wonder what goes on in the head of yours."
"Not as much as I do," Buffy murmured.
Joyce shook her head. "So what's the final verdict on Riley?"
"Look, mom, I mean this in the nicest way possible, Riley is nice. Very handsome. And apparently rich, too. But I just don't think I'm ready for… marriage."
"Buffy don't be silly. You're 17."
Buffy stared at her mother and wondered if she would ever get it. "I don't think that age is what should define whether or not you're ready to spend the rest of your life with one person."
Joyce looked a little hurt. "I'm sorry… I just thought you might appreciate what I was doing for you. Young me aren't exactly banging your door down."
'Well, when you have the kind of job that I have, meeting people usually gets them dead.' Buffy groaned when she realized that they were back out on the promenade. And there was Riley, looking out at the ocean with an amused smile twitching his lips. Buffy quickly moved as far away as she could, hoping that her mother didn't notice.
Unfortunately, Joyce *had* noticed, and she wasn't about to let the opportunity pass her by. "Riley," she called happily, walking quickly up to him, "how are you, dear?"
Riley smiled pleasantly. "Mrs. Summer's. It is an honor to see you again."
Joyce beamed. "Buffy was just talking about you. Isn't that right, honey?" Joyce turned, looking for an answer. "Buffy? Buffy?? BUFFY???"
Buffy walked away quickly, hoping that her mother hadn't noticed her fast get-away. She was relieved when she found that her mother wasn't running after her, screaming her name at the top of her lungs. She knew that Joyce meant well, and she loved her mother for it, but sometimes she wished that she could tell her the things that were supposed to be kept secret.
Like the slaying.
And Angel.
Actually, Buffy wasn't sure about the last part. Angel *was* a vampire, of that there was not getting out of, but maybe she could introduce Angel and her mother and just never bring up the whole "vampire thing". Joyce would probably accept that, wouldn't she?
Buffy sighed and hit herself on the head when she realized that she was hopelessly lost again. Giles was right when he was explaining the fact that the 'Titanic' was the biggest ship ever made. She mentally cursed herself for her most annoying deep thoughts and tried to concentrate on the way that she took to get herself to where she was.
Buffy was backing up, chewing on her bottom lip in concentration when she ran smack into someone.
"Is this becoming a habit?"
Xander. Barely taking the time to fully take him in, Buffy launched herself into his arms and hugged him tightly. "I found you! I found you!"
Xander thought that he might really be having some trouble breathing. Then, he realized exactly whom he has holding in his arms. His body immediately responded to the fact that Buffy was pressed right up against him… and she pulled away and looked at him hopefully.
"Did you find out where Angel is?"
Xander forced out a thin smile. Apparently Buffy hadn't just had a total turn around in realizing the error of her ways. "I tried, but everyone I asked just laughed in my face. It was kind of degrading, actually."
"Oh," Buffy muttered, disappointed.
"But I'm sure that Willow was able to get it," Xander added with as much enthusiasm he could muster.
Buffy tried to look optimistic. "That would be nice."
"What's the biggie, anyway? I mean, he did say that he would find you tonight, right?"
Buffy smiled sadly. "He did, but I can't help but feel like we're treading on the brink of something really big and we should just enjoy our time while we have it, you know? Maybe it's a slayer thing. There's no telling how long I'm going to be alive for."
Xander's mind rebuked the idea of Buffy losing a battle of the supernatural. "You have back up now, Buff. Nothing will happen to you."
Buffy smiled fondly at him—kind of broke Xander's heart a little to just know it was fondly—and gave him another hug. "Thanks, Xander. That means a lot."
"No problem," Xander choked out, overcome by the feel of holding Buffy in his arms once again.
This time it was Xander who pulled away. "Come on, I think I know where to find, Willow."
"Are you supposed to be working right now?" Buffy questioned as Xander led her through the ship. She was fairly certain that sometime soon she would need to make up a map to find her way around.
"If anyone asks, I'm helping the lady," Xander said quickly.
"Of course." The two pressed on in silence, Buffy was enjoying having the silent companionship, and Xander was reveling in the time spent with Buffy *alone*. "Do you even know where Willow is?" Buffy finally asked, breaking the silence.
Xander turned crimson when he realized that he had been watching Buffy more than he had been paying attention to where Willow may or may not be. "Sort of," he mumbled.
"Sort of, like 'yes, I have an idea', or sort of like, 'I have not clue?'"
"I do have *some* idea," Xander muttered, "I know that she works with the first class."
"That *is* helpful," Buffy sighed.
"We'll find her eventually," Xander said reassuringly.
Buffy stood still and looked at Xander with a questioning look. "This has to be the calmest ship that I have ever been on. I don't feel any tremors or anything."
Xander nodded. "I heard that the Captain is speeding up, too. Wants to break speed records or something."
"Isn't that a little dangerous?" Buffy shivered, like she sometimes did when she knew that there was some new vampire that needed to be dusted. "It's pretty cold in the ocean at this time of year."
"The captain has been sailing for many years now, Buffy. I'm sure that he knows what he's doing. Besides, this ship is unsinkable." Xander chastised, as if he was talking to a regular girl with a case of the "jitters".
Buffy sighed. She wasn't a normal girl—she was the slayer. And she knew what bad signs were when she got them. Although, apparently Xander still couldn't accept the fact that she wasn't ordinary. "What are you going to do in America once you get there?" Buffy questioned, ready to change the subject.
"I don't know… I was thinking about doing some manual labor, or building. I'm good at doing things with my hands."
Buffy smiled longingly. "I wish that I was free to do whatever I liked."
Xander patted her hand. "Come one! You have got to be the first slayer in history to have such cool friends."
"That's for sure." Buffy gave a little chuckle, thinking about how she was the *only* slayer in history to try and have friends.
"So what about finding Willow?" Xander reminded her.
"Right. Willow." Buffy gave a wry smile thinking of the red-head. Of course, thinking about Willow led to thinking about why they were looking for her in the first place. That led to thinking about certain dark, charming, vampires.
"Why don't we check the promenade?" Xander suggested.
"NO!" Buffy cried. "I will *not* go back on the promenade."
"Why not?"
"My mom met a man."
Xander frowned. "I thought your mother was married."
"A man that she thought would make a perfect husband for her dearest darling daughter."
"Oh," Xander said. "And I'm guessing that this mysterious man wasn't Angel."
"No, he certainly wasn't," Buffy agreed.
"What was his name?"
"Finn."
Xander raised his eyebrows, "Finn like a fish?"
"Finn like a Fish. I think he said that his first name was Riley."
"I've heard of his family. They're supposed to be rich." Xander grimaced, "I hate rich people."
Buffy pouted. "I miss Angel."
Xander groaned. "I know, I know. Angel, Angel, Angel! I'm sure that's all you think about, too."
Buffy didn't deny it, and Xander didn't ask.
A short time later, Buffy and Xander stumbled upon a maid cleaning the floor of the dining hall. The maid introduced herself as Amy, and told them that Willow had just gone off to the first class promenade to look for her friends. Buffy and Xander gave her their thanks, and Buffy reluctantly found herself facing the ocean again.
Luckily, neither Riley nor Joyce was within seeing distance, so Buffy allowed herself to relax slightly. "Okay, don't make any loud movements that will draw attention to us," Buffy whispered urgently to Xander.
"Would I do something like that?" Xander demanded sounding offended.
Buffy's resounding glare was his only response.
"Where *is* Willow?" Buffy muttered, squinting out across the deck.
Xander looked in the opposite direction, finally pointing at a small girl off in the distance, talking with someone. Buffy let out a line of curses under her breath that made Xander blush when she realized just whom her friend was talking to.
"I *won't* go over there," Buffy stated.
Xander shrugged. "Fine."
Buffy sighed and began walking towards the pair. "For Angel. For Angel. For Angel," she repeated, as the distance closed way too quickly.
As Buffy neared she began to hear snippets of the conversations. "And I want, two more towels, but they have to be *white* this time. Do we have an understanding? I don't want to come to my stateroom to see green towels hanging on the rack!!! And the pillows? Hello! They need to be *feather*!!! How hard is it for you people to get these things right??? Jeez! And you say that this is the most elegant ship ever."
Buffy saw Willow nod her head and look down, clearly very intimidated by the sparkling first-class passenger that she was supposed to be helping. Buffy bristled with anger and marched up to Willow's side, glaring at her child-hood nemesis. Cordelia Chase.
"Still, getting all your money from your father, Cordy? What? Haven't found a rich husband yet? Or do they just all run in fear once they learn your *real* personality?"
Cordelia sniffed, and gave Buffy a wide smile, showing two rows of perfectly straight whitened teeth. "Buffy, Buffy," she said sadly, "last I heard, your mother was taking you back to America since you already scared away all the males living in this part of the world."
Buffy glared and Cordelia glared right back. Xander shifted uncomfortably, feeling like he had missed something. Finally, Buffy grabbed Willows arm, "Come on. Let's go."
Willow looked at her helplessly. "I would but… I need to do what she asks. It's kind of my job."
Buffy folded her arms over her chest. "Fine, but I need you too. So I guess I'm just going to have to stick around until you're available."
"Glad to see that you're going to learn how to do a servants work before you're forced into that position." Cordelia looked her over. "Although, that may be soon."
"Oh good, I have a job recommendation from Queen C. My life is now complete," Buffy sniped.
Xander held up his hands. "Wow, we have some animosity here." Both girls in question gave him matching "no kidding" looks.
Willow frowned. "Why don't I just give you that number for that… thing."
Buffy's eyes lit up. "Oh, right! The number for the… um… thing."
"214," Willow said.
Buffy squealed with joy and gave Willow an enthusiastic hug. "I'm in debt to you forever!"
Cordelia coughed. "Not that this isn't sickening… but what thing, exactly, is this for?"
Buffy shrugged. "None. Of. Your. Business."
The brunette looked as if she might pop. Everyone else's business was her business by right! "It wouldn't happen to be the room number of say… a handsome young man?"
Buffy froze.
"Would he happen to be going by the name of… Angel?"
Buffy's eyes sparked with anger. "Stay out of my life," she hissed.
Cordelia raised her eyebrows. "Oooh, did I strike a nerve?"
Buffy bit her lip and willed herself to calm down. She was fairly certain that she might get into some trouble if she used some of her slayer strength on a weak little innocent.
Cordelia looked at her perfectly polished fingernails and grinned. "I met him last night. Charming man, I must say. All broken up about some blonde girl that apparently left him all by his lonesome. Of course, I did everything I could to make him feel better."
"I'll bet," Buffy snapped.
Xander looked back and forth between the two girls. "I just realized that I need to go." Without another word, he took off and swore to never get between two women.
Cordelia sighed dramatically and patted Buffy's cheek. "I have to go and make myself look nice for dinner. Something that you might try yourself at some point." Cordelia turned her back and snapped her fingers. "Willow!"
Willow gave the slayer an apologetic look before hurrying off after Cordelia. Buffy found herself all alone on the deck, fuming at a certain brunette with way too much money and time on her hands. "And what did she say about Angel, anyway?" Buffy mumbled aloud. She got a few questioning glances, but she smiled sweetly until the passengers moved on. "Comforting him. Ha! I bet five minutes with her and Angel couldn't wait to get away."
Buffy felt her stomach bottom out. Just because *she* couldn't spend five minutes in the same room as Cordelia didn't mean that Angel couldn't. Besides, men liked Cordelia. Buffy had learned at least that much from her child-hood nemesis.
Buffy shivered and she realized that it was getting chilly out on the promenade.
'Might as well go look for that stateroom… good old number 214. Once Angel sees me, he'll forget all about stupid Cordelia.' Buffy frowned. Now all she had to do was figure out how to get there.
20 minutes later, Buffy stood outside 214. She couldn't help but feel like she had been in this part of the ship at some point earlier that day. Shrugging, she figured that her internal senses were all thrown off from being on a ship as big as a country.
She felt her heart speed up when she realized just *who* stood on the other side of that door. Suddenly feeling dizzy, Buffy backed away from the door and stood on the opposite wall. This was it. Her chance to see him. None of the other stuff mattered. Not Riley. Not her mother. And not Cordelia.
Angel was on the other side of that door.
Woozily Buffy forced herself to her feet. 'I hope you realize how embarrassing this is. You're acting almost as if you're intoxicated.' Buffy gave a short bitter chuckle at the thought. She was drunk… drunk on love.
She stumbled back to other side of the hall and raised a shaking fist to knock. Before her hand made contact with the door, a chorus of 'what ifs?' started up in her head, like a never-ending stream of loud melodies. What if Angel did like Cordelia better? What if he realized what a big mistake he'd made last night? What if he was offended that she came to him when he had said that he would find her?
Buffy knocked her knuckles against the shiny wood door.
Buffy jumped a little as the knock echoed through the hallway like a roll of thunder in the mountains. Looking around guiltily, Buffy nervously reached up to make sure her hair was firmly in place. Seeing that it was, she mentally checked her clothes to make sure they weren't wrinkly. They weren't. She tapped her foot impatiently against the floor waiting for an answer.
She didn't get one.
Nobody came to answer the door. No one came to see who it was. There was no shuffling around. No movement or voice. There was nothing.
"Not good. Not good. Not good." Buffy whispered to herself as she rechecked the number on the door. It was still the same. 214. Angel's room. "Maybe he just went out for a stroll." Buffy rolled her eyes and hit herself on the forehead. "No, you idiot!" she hissed under her breath, "it's sunny out!"
Buffy sighed and looked around again, hoping for some clue. Finding none, she stared at the door in disgust. "I guess that I have the wrong number…." Buffy nodded and decided that was the problem. All she had to do was find Willow again and make sure that she had heard correctly. Buffy turned her back to the door and took two trembling strides forward. Pausing she closed her eyes.
'If I have the wrong number, why do I feel like he's staring at me right now? Watching me walk away… and not caring.'
Buffy took a deep breath and spun around, facing the dreaded door once again. Walking decidedly up to it, she pounded her fist as loud as she could against it. "Angel! I know that you're in there!"
She felt the door buckle a little under the weight of her hand, and Buffy pulled away with a wry smile on her lips. Seemed like the 'Titanic' wasn't good enough for a slayer. Licking her lips, Buffy glared at the door. "Come on! Why don't you want to talk to me?"
Her ears picked up on some shuffling going on in the inside. 'Finally!' Buffy thought. She leaned her head against the door, and pressed her ear right up against the wood in order to hear better. The shuffling got a little closer, and Buffy felt her heart start pounding furiously again.
She gave a yelp of surprise when the door was ripped open. Stumbling back, Buffy tripped and fell on her butt in the middle of the hallway. Stunned, she raised her eyes and took in the person in front of her. He stood ramrod straight, glaring down at her. Buffy's breath caught in her throat when her eyes fell on his chest.
He wasn't wearing a shirt.
Buffy took a deep shuddering breath and licked her extremely dry lips in order to get herself under control. Her gaze finally landed on his face, and she felt disheartened to note that his face was a mask, and his eyes locked on her in a disapproving glance.
"What are you doing here?" he demanded.
Buffy blushed, embarrassed. "I wanted to see you."
Angel looked stunned for a minute as if he didn't know how to reply. Quickly, he replaced the expression with a scowl. "Go away."
Buffy felt a sudden sharp pain in her chest. "Wh… what?"
"Go. Away." Angel repeated, his eyes shooting daggers at her.
Buffy's mind whirled as she tried to take in why he was asking her to do that. Confused, and hurt, she struggled to keep her eyes on his face. "Why are you saying that?" she managed to choke out.
Angel hesitated again, but then the hard cold look in his eyes immediately took over. Without another word he turned his back and slammed the door.
Buffy stared at the place where he had disappeared in shock. "Angel?" she whimpered, wondering how it was possible that she was sitting here on the floor in so much pain, while he was in there chuckling at the knowledge that he had just played a slayer.
TBC