Thank you once again to all the reviewers, it's great to know somebody reads my drivel and likes it!

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Buffy twined her fingers into Angel's, enjoying the contact and reassurance. Well he hadn't flipped yet so that was a good start; instead he just looked confused which could still lead to rage. Buffy gulped, no matter that they had behaved with good intentions she and Spike were going to end up hurting someone. The road to hell is paved with good intentions she recalled one of her mom's little sayings. Perhaps she could weasel out of it and hide, leaving explanations to Spike. But then Angel would never respect her, and she wanted his respect.

"Okay, so uh, I don't know how much you know about me and Spike, how long we've known each other and stuff." She started with an inquiring look at Angel.

"Not much," he responded slowly, "You told me you two had been friends for about four years."

"Which we have." Buffy took a deep breath, she had to stop dancing around it and just tell him. "Which is all we have ever been to each other. I've never even kissed Spike except for show."

"For show?"

Uh oh, he was frowning now. Buffy winced even though she couldn't make out if it was a confused frown or a grumpy frown.

"Okay, starting at the beginning." She managed with a strangled laugh. "Spike is my buddy and when his long-time girlfriend Cordy dumped him for someone he hates and then flaunted it I suggested he demonstrate to her how much he didn't care by dating someone else."

"You?"

"Well not exactly. When I told him he needed to be seen with someone else I really meant get a new girlfriend but he didn't want to because Cordy had always thought I was a big rival and he wanted to annoy her."

"And you went along with this?"

Definitely a grumpy frown, Buffy gulped "Well yeah, he's my bud and friends help friends, you know?"

Angel pulled his hand free and got to his feet, "That doesn't explain why my mom is worked up about the two of you being engaged. Knowing what she's like I'm surprised she hasn't ordered the cake already!"

Buffy winced, like she didn't feel bad enough already! "Well it all just kind of snowballed and got out of hand and once it was all in motion we couldn't seem to get out of the way in time and we got rolled up in it!"

Angel looked back at her and gave a short bark of laughter. "I'm sure you did."

Buffy raised her chin, she hadn't lost yet - after all he was still standing there listening and hadn't just bolted out of the maze, although maybe he was just too much of a gentleman to abandon a girl in a maze at night time. Not a comforting thought.

"Well you see we just planned to mock date for a month or two - long enough to show Cordy that he wasn't really upset and then we could amicably break up and he could find someone else to date for real with his pride intact!"

"Still not explaining it." Angel returned shortly, his voice bitter with disappointment. He'd really thought more of Buffy than this. He turned away, "I think we should follow Spike's excellent advice and get indoors before midnight."

"Wait just a minute, please Angel." Buffy gasped scrambling to her feet as he began to walk towards the temple.

He paused with his back to her. "Yes?"

He sounded like a polite stranger. Buffy could feel her eyes start to go glassy, this could not be happening. She couldn't be about to lose him completely could she? "Can I just finish explaining what did happen? If you still don't like what you hear then we can go in."

Angel struggled with the decision. Was that a wobble in her voice? He couldn't bear the idea that he was about to make her cry. But what she and Spike had done was wrong; when they were forced to explain themselves his family were going to be so hurt. But somehow the idea of Buffy in tears was worse. "Fine." He said shortly.

There was a distinct sniff from behind him, "Well you see we went out to dinner at the same restaurant Cordelia and her new guy were eating in and I'd deliberately worn a really similar outfit and she was kind of irate."

Angel stifled a smile at the idea.

"It was sort of early days and Spike was tipsy and made it clear how over her he was by telling her that not only did I look better in the dress we were both wearing but that I looked so much better he was going to marry me."

Angel frowned and half turned back to her, if this was true then the snowball effect had been Spike's fault. It didn't make Buffy blameless but still-

Buffy smiled faintly at him, "It probably would've been okay but your mom's friends Irene, Jake and a few others were sitting two tables away."

"Oh." Now he was beginning to see.

"Yeah, Oh." Buffy said, "Before we knew where we were we got congratulations all around and either went along with it or looked really stupid in front of Cordy and Wes."

"And Irene rushed straight off to tell mom who had probably made announcements and sent out the invitations before either of you had time to breathe?" Angel finished for her with a small smile. Now he could see how things had accidentally snowballed he could feel quite sorry for the two conspirators and feel quite smug for himself. Clearly he was the only brother Buffy was interested in.

Buffy watched Angel nervously as she nodded her agreement to his last statement, was that a smile she could see in the dim light?

"Well, if we manage to get this cleared up with the minimum amount of bloodshed perhaps you'd like to go on a real dinner date, with me?" Angel asked over a sudden rumble of thunder.

Buffy beamed at him as rain suddenly began to sprinkle lightly down, "Most definitely."

He grinned at her and took her hand in his, "Guess we'd better sprint back to the house before we get drowned."

He started towards the exit to the maze but Buffy hesitated, "We could grab what's left of our refreshments and go sit in my room and chat if you like?" she offered.

Angel nodded and they doubled back to the temple just as the rain began coming down in earnest. In the time they took to cover the twenty yards between them and the doorway the rain had gone from light to massive drops the size of golf balls and both of them were on the damp side of things.

"Where did that come from?" Spluttered Buffy in disgust as she peeled wet strands of hair off her cheeks.

Angel shrugged, "It's just a freak storm, it shouldn't last too long."

Buffy shrugged in return as she pulled off her boots and curled up her feet, making herself comfortable on the enormous sofa, "Least we have food and drink," She blissfully stuffed a strawberry into her mouth before taking a swig of champagne and pulling a face. "Ung, that's kind of flat now."

Angel removed his damply heavy jacket and hung it up, before prowling into the small kitchen area "There might be something to drink around here somewhere."

Moments later he was back with more champagne and glasses.

"Wow, I'm impressed." Murmured Buffy watching as he poured them both a glass. She busied herself with nibbling at another strawberry in an effort not to stare and salivate at his yummy muscles outlined by the body hugging silky black shirt he was wearing.

Then he sat down next to her and smiled and Buffy remembered that as he had asked her out and they were both free and single she had every right to drool. Then an unpleasant thought popped into her head. "Uh Angel?"

"Yeah?" he grinned at her.

"You know you have your life in New York and I have my life in Sunnydale and L.A? Where and when are we going to have a date? It's sort of awkward isn't it as we won't even be in the same time zone?"

Angel smiled slightly, "If I was planning to stay in New York then yeah it might be a problem but as I am very seriously thinking about moving closer to home and doing something different I think it will be okay."

"You're moving?" Buffy chirped in amazement and joy.

"Yep, I got bored with what I was doing. I used to have something to prove but I think I proved it and now I want to kick back and enjoy life more." He grinned. "Maybe start looking for the perfect girl."

Buffy blushed, "Got any candidates yet?"

Angel smiled and tugged the bowl of berries out of her hands and plunked it on the table in front of them, he gently caressed her face with his fingertips and leant closer with a smile, "Just the one."

"Really?" Buffy asked coyly as he leant in to kiss her, "Anyone I know?"

Angel smiled, "I was about to kiss her."

"Then get on with it!"

"With pleasure."