Buffy bounded down the stairs with a too happy smile on her face.

Angel scowled from the couch. "What're you so happy about?"

Buffy sat down next to him and scrunched up her nose at him. "Happy that I didn't have whatever it was that you had to drink last night."

Angel ran his hands over his face, through his hair. "Well, you'd turned in for the night. And I had some business to see to."

Buffy shrugged. "Whatever. I'm not your mom." She bounced up off the couch. "Want some breakfast? Dawn'll be up soon, so you should get some while you can. She's a pig!" She took off into the kitchen.

Angel followed her, slowly. "Just coffee for me, if you've got it."

"Sure," Buffy chirped. She hummed some mindless tune while she made the coffee.

"Ok, what's going on? Last night you were so mad you couldn't see straight, now you're Mary Sunshine."

Buffy shrugged again, not looking at him. "Nothing's going on. Just decided that that stuff isn't something to get upset over. Wasn't dating the guy. Hardly knew him. No big."

"Yeah, right. Look, he should have told you, plain and simple."

"No, I should have known. I'm the Slayer. It's just that he's so....." Buffy shook her head.

"Human?" Angel finished.

"I guess. I mean, he just seemed so normal. Aside from the whole demon-fighty thing, but hey, in my world that is normal. And it was nice to have someone to talk to. Well, that's when I thought he was more like me than like you."

Angel frowned. "You don't feel you can talk to me?"

Buffy sighed. "It's not like that. But he was.....or I thought he was a human guy who got saddled with these powers and this duty. Like me. Didn't know he was a vamp seeking redemption. Or whatever he's doing. See? I don't even know why he's fighting. And I don't care. He's a non-issue. Maybe he'll just scamper off to wherever he came from and everything will go back to normal."

"He's a good fighter, ya know. You can never have too many of those on the Hellmouth," Angel said nonchalantly.

Buffy looked at him like he'd grown a third eye. "What?! Weren't you the one warning him away, telling me what a baddie he was? Now you're singing his praises and saying he should stick around?"

Angel bristled. "Not exactly singing his praises....." he mumbled.

"Oh, I get it. Maybe this is some kind of 'vamp with souls' club. And you're secretly sworn to promote the causes of all other vamps with souls. I get it, makes sense. Or is it just a support group? 'Hi, I'm Angel and I have a soul. I've been souled for 100 years, see my pin? I did have a relapse a few years ago, but I'm all better now.'"

Angel shook his head. "Look, all I'm saying is I may have been a little rash. It's been known to happen. Spike and I didn't have the friendliest history. But we had a little discussion last night. We sort of.....hashed things out, so to speak. I think he deserves a chance. A chance at redemption and to fight the good fight, not a chance with you, that is."

Buffy scowled. "You don't think anyone deserves a chance with me."

"Not true. But I'm still holding out hope you'll find a normal guy."

"Riley was normal....." Buffy arched her eyebrows at Angel, daring him to argue.

"Riley was....." Angel looked at his watch. "Oh, gee, aren't you going to be late for work?"

"Uh huh," Buffy smirked at him. "You do know that normal doesn't exist, right? Or at least because everyone is so dysfunctional nowadays that normal is actually not the norm. So abnormality is normal and normality is abnormal."

Angel winced. "Just.....not a vampire, ok?"

"Can't seem to attract anything else lately....." Buffy mumbled. "I'm working a double. You gonna be gone when I get back?"

Angel nodded. "Yeah, sorry I couldn't spare more time, but this demon informant up in San Francisco has to shove off to his dimension again soon."

"Anything juicy?"

Angel shrugged. "Possible apocalypse. But what's new?"

Buffy nodded. "Such is life. Our life, anyway." Buffy gave Angel a hug and kissed his cheek. "Thanks for stopping by. And tell Dawnie I left her a note on the fridge, if she ever comes down. I forgot it's Saturday, so you may not see her at all. Oh, and I think Tara and Willow were taking a shower, so they should be down soon if you want them to make you breakfast. They'd be happy to do it."

Angel smiled. "I'll be fine with coffee."

"Bye, Angel. Be careful," Buffy said as she headed out the door.

"You too," Angel said after she'd gone.

It was 10:30pm and William was still waiting at the gates of Landonview. 'Like a git,' he chided himself. 'She's not comin', and it's all the better for that fact. She's probably shaggin' Angel right now. Yeah, big problem with vamps 'n souls, she's got.' He resigned himself to the fact that he was patrolling on his own. But the next night, and the night after that, he found himself dawdling around Landonview around 10pm. 'Just happen to hit this cemetery at the same time every night,' he reasoned with himself. 'Got nothin' to do with the bird who's haunting my every waking and sleeping thought.'

"Um, Buff? It's been a few days.....and well, you kinda are the Slayer. Aren't you going to patrol?" Willow asked nervously.

"She's trying to avoid William," Dawn chimed in. "Just because he's a vampire, she doesn't want to like him. I mean, it's not like she doesn't have experience with dating vampires, and it's not like she's not close, personal friends with a vampire who visits her sometimes. But no, this vampire, who also has a soul, is just bad news."

Buffy scowled at Dawn. She then turned to Willow. "No, I just figured, he's out there patrolling, so I get a well-earned break. I think at least a week of non-slaying will do wonders for me."

Dawn rolled her eyes. "Or you could just go jump William's undead bones and that would probably do wonders for you too. I know it would make all of us feel better."

"Dawnie!" Willow cried. "Buffy's right not to want to.....do what you said. And I think it's smart not to get involved with another vampire, because, hey, demons. But, well.....I'm not sure that being avoidy is the right answer. Maybe you could just confront him and then you guys could be friends. And you could be slay-buddies again. Because, really.....you seemed pretty happy lately."

Buffy shrugged. "I'm sure I'll see him around. It's not a big deal. I just wanted to take a little break. Is that so terrible?"

"No, no, and I'm all for the not killing of things once in a while, but still.....you're being a little....."

"Don't you dare say avoidy, because I'm not. I'm just.....regrouping. And not over him, just over the whole slayer gig. It gets a little wearing sometimes."

"Yeah, you looked really worn out when you'd practically knock me down trying to get out the door so you could be on time for your slay-dates." Dawn scoffed.

"Dawn, isn't it your bedtime? School tomorrow?" Buffy quirked an eyebrow at her sister.

Dawn sighed. "Fine. I'm just saying.....you were pretty much happier than you've been since......since you came back. Before, even. It was nice. And if it's a nice guy that makes you feel that way, I don't care if he's a vampire or a Klynk'r demon or a soldier.....just so long as you're happy."

Buffy stood and gave Dawn a hug. "I know, Dawnie. And I appreciate what you're saying. But Buffy Summers doesn't need a man to make her happy!" She tried to get a smile out of Dawn. "It just takes time, ya know? Everything'll be fine, I promise."

Dawn nodded. "I think you're right about one thing. You don't need a man to make you happy. But maybe a vampire......"

"Dawn," Buffy mock warned.

"Ok, ok, going to bed now."

A week had gone by and William was getting severely disgusted with himself. Tonight was the last night, he had determined. He wasn't going to wait one minute past 10:15 for her. 10:20 if he decided to have a smoke. At 10:37 he had smoked his last cigarette and headed into the heart of the cemetery, desperately wanting to kill something.

Her voice stilled him. "William the Bloody. Also known as Spike, due to his penchant for driving railroad spikes into his victims. Fought and killed two Slayers, one in China during the Boxer Rebellion of 1900 and one in New York in 1977. William is reportedly very boastful of his conquests, and has a reputation for seeking out Slayers whenever he is able."

William did not turn to her, only hung his head. "Did your research, I see."

"Watcher's diaries. Usually pretty reliable."

"Oh. I assume Angel filled in the blanks for you."

"No, he.....didn't say much about you. Of course, he doesn't have any place to talk when it comes to this stuff, does he?"

"Not really, no." Finally, William turned to her. "Look, I'm pretty sure an apology would fall on deaf ears right now, so I really don't know what to say."

Buffy frowned as she moved closer to him. She held up the book she'd been reading from. "You think you can just apologize this stuff away?"

William looked strangely at her. "What? That? No! Not apologizing for that. Can't ever....." He shook his head. "I mean to apologize for not telling you what I was. For making you think I was a.....person. Wasn't a conscious thing I did, not at first. It's just that.....you looked at me like I was a person. Just a guy who had a strange job like you. And I guess I just didn't want that to go away. But I'm sorry all the same. Wasn't right, fooling you like that. But I'd be lying if I said I wanted to tell you the truth, because I never did. Never wanted you to know what I was. What I am." He looked at the ground. "That book, what it says about me, it's all true, minus some of the gory details. And I understand if you don't want anything to do with me, but I can fight. And I want to fight. And I know this is your town, so if you tell me to go, there's not much I can do about it. But I'd like to stay and help, if you'll let me. I mean, maybe we can take turns, or you can just have a few days off sometimes. But.....I'd really like to stay. It's up to you, but really.....I've got nothing better to do. Nowhere else I need to be." William's eyes pleaded with Buffy.

She had to look away before she caved too easily. "Look, if you want to stay, that's fine. And it would be nice to have days off sometimes." William's face fell slightly at this. "But if you want to patrol with me, I have one rule: no more lies. I'm not saying you have to tell me everything about yourself, but what you do tell me better be true. And none of this half-true stuff. No more misleading or shading.....just tell me the truth. And if it's none of my business, tell me so. I can be kind of nosy sometimes, I realize that. But really.....vampire? Kind of critical information for a vampire Slayer to have. And soul? Also a good thing to know about."

William was trying to hide his smile. Part of him was rejoicing, and part of him was fighting against it. This part knew that this girl was trouble. Knew that she would tear down everything he'd been delicately building over the past year. But the happy part could care less, because she was letting him patrol with her again. Her finger poking him in the chest shook him out of his thoughts. "Huh?"

"I was going over my other two rules," Buffy scowled.

William frowned. "I thought there was only one rule."

"Well now there are three. And I reserve the right to add more as I see fit."

William grinned. "Ok."

"Anyway, the other two rules are, obviously, no biting, which I think is a given, but then again I thought it was a given that you were just a regular guy, so I'm not leaving anything to chance now. And the other rule is no smoking around me."

"Aw, c'mon, luv. Gotta have a smoke after a fierce battle."

"Then you can patrol alone." She looked at him challengingly.

William sighed and popped his neck. 'Yes, good! Patrol alone! Tell her to sod off!' "Fine. No smoking."

Buffy smiled, satisfied. "Good. Now, give me the update on what's been going on this week. Lotsa baddies? Little baddies? I want the scoop." William smiled and nodded as Buffy began walking into the cemetery beside him.

TBC