James Lee- Thanks... I read it over and thought there were things I could've done differently, but I'll just leave it.

ManniElf18- Yay. Thank you. There may be bangelness in this chapter.

MaLooLa- I'm missed =) lol. Something may happen with Ted... There will be some slayer action as well... Thank you =)

N170017- Thank you =D


Buffy walked up the stairs to Sunnydale High. So many things were on her mind. How was she supposed to react to Angel's presence? Were things cooled down? Did she act like it never happened, or storm off mad when she saw him?

"Ugh," Buffy mumbled as she opened the doors and walked inside.

"Buffy, hey," Willow said, walking over to her.

"Willow, how's it going?"

"You're not here with Angel," Willow said, heading towards their first class.

"Um, about him..."

"How are my two favourite girls?" Xander asked, appearing inbetween them. "Buff, what's with the long face?"

"Well, I was just going to..."

"Yo," Faith said, walking over to them. "My favourite class of the day, English."

"Faith, you hate English," Willow said.

"I hate the actual learning part, but it's the only one I share with most of my buds. Where's Angel?"

"I was just about to..."

"Hey Guys," Fred said, stopping in front of them. "I saw you all walking to class, and thought I'd join."

"Too many friends," Buffy mumbled under her breath.

"What's that B?" Faith asked.

"Huh? Oh, nothing. So, how about we get to class?"


Buffy waited inpatiently for the elevator to come. Usually she took the stairs, but today she wasn't in the energy-exerting mood.

She was worried about Angel above everything. He hadn't shown up at school all day, and she wondered if maybe the tables turned when she left and Dan got the better of him.

Sighing, she walked onto the elevator as the door opened, and quickly pushed number "6" before resting against the wall.

She looked up at the numbers and shifted on her feet when it stopped on the fourth floor. The doors opened, and an older man walked inside, smiling.

I know him... Hello, you live in the same building... But, something... Oh, he's the perverted old guy from the first day I moved... And the guy who stares at me when I bring the trash out...

"Nice day," he said, looking her up and down.

"Yeah, it is."

"Did you just get home from school?"

"Yup," she said, looking down. Did you just get home from senior's bingo?

"Are you going up, or down?" he asked.

"Up. You didn't push a button, though..."

"Oh right," he said. "Old age..."

Buffy smiled and watched impatiently for the elevator to reach her floor. She tried to ignore the looks she was getting and focused on anything other then if it was ok to knock an old man out or not.

Finally, after it seemed like forever, the number "6" lit up, and Buffy let out a grateful sigh before stepping out. She could hear the doors close as she quickly made her way to her apartment, praying that he wasn't following her.

Once inside, she rested her back against the door, and slowly started to laugh.

"Oh my," she said, walking into the kitchen.

"Hey sweetie," Joyce said.

"Mom, you're home early."

"You too. Don't you usually go over to Angel's, or Willow's, or..."

Buffy raised her eyebrow, and then frowned. "Great. Ted's here. I guess I should be jumping for joy, huh? But sorry, the icky thoughts of what you two were doing are clouding it."

"Buffy," her mother whispered angerily. "So, how was your day?"

"My day wasn't good. I don't know where Angel is, I failed my English test, I got hit on by an old man, and now I have to put up with potential-dad. I'll be in my room," Buffy said, before walking past her mother.

As she turned the corner, she bumped into Ted. Looking up at him, she saw the smile spread on his face and so desperately wanted to knock it off of him, but only glared as she pushed past him.


Buffy sat in the hallway of her apartment. She had needed to get out of there, the sound of her mother's giggling was really getting to her.

Dear Diary,

Life has been good, but messy. I'm confused about Angel. Just when I think we're making progress, getting close, he pushes me away and calls me a spoiled little girl. Hello, I'm the Slayer. I save the world, which means I save everyone in it, who's he to tell me that I don't do anything for anyone, even myself. If you could see me, I'm looking very frustrated now.

But I'd forget all of that, if he'd only apologize. But, to do that, he'd have to be present, and he's been missing since last night when I saw him last. I'm worried, but I don't know what to


Buffy stopped writing when she heard someone enter onto the floor. Looking up, she saw Angel walk in, his gaze directed to the floor. She closed her diary, placing it on the floor, she stood up and waited for him to notice her.

"Buffy," he said, stopping and looking up at her.

She took a deep breath. "Surprised to see me? Funny thing, I actually hang around the place where I live."

He started to play with his hands. "About that..."

"You don't need to explain. I mean, I know a lot of people who just disappear for a day after me seeing them beating the shit out of someone. I understand your reasons."

"Buffy, you can't understand," he said. "You don't know what it's like to have the need... The duty to look after someone."

Buffy laughed slightly. "Because you know me so well to actually know that. I'm sorry if you think that I'm a spoiled little girl who knows nothing about life, or pain, or whatever. But I do Angel. That may come to you as a shocker, but I'm not spoiled. And I'm not a little girl. I only asked you about your mother because I want to know about you, I want to know about your family and your life. I apologize for that."

She bent down and picked up her diary.

"Wait," he said, walking over to her. He cupped her chin with his hand and turned her head to make her look him in the eye. "No, I apologize. I just... Thought that if you figured out about my life, you'd... You wouldn't want to be with me..."

"Is there a we?"

"I... I want there to be," he said. "Do you?"

She nodded slightly, and he leaned down to kiss her. She turned and he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer to him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and stood up on her tip-toes.

"So I'll call you tomorrow and..." Ted said, as he opened the apartment door. He stopped when he saw the two teenagers in front of him. "Ahem."

Buffy pulled away from Angel, still resting in his arms. She rolled her eyes at Ted, before looking back at Angel, ignoring him.

"Um... Sorry," she said.

"I'm not," Ted said. "I'm glad we could stop it before he invited you into his aparment."

"Mom," Buffy whined.

"Ted's right," Joyce said quietly.

"See, this is what I'm talking about. You always agree with him, like he's my father! But he's not mom, and I thought you trusted me enough to know I'd never do that!" Buffy yelled, running into the apartment, angerily pushing past them.

Angel looked from Ted to Joyce, before walking into the apartment uninvited. Ted glared after him, but Joyce didn't stop him from going in. She knew that the only person Buffy would be willing to see was Angel.

"You aren't just going to let him go into her bedroom," Ted said.

Joyce shook her head. "There's nothing I can do Ted. I trust her not to..."

"Trust has nothing to do with hormones. If she was my daughter..."

"But she's not. She's not your daughter so you have no say in how I raise her, or my decisions," Joyce said, but sighed. "I'm sorry..."

"No, don't be. I am," Ted said, hugging her. "I shouldn't interfer, but I just love her so much like she was my own.

"I know, I know. You should get going."

"Yeah. I'll call you tomorrow though," he said, kissing her quickly.

"Bye," she said, closing the door behind her.


"See, this is what I'm talking about. You always agree with him, like he's my father! But he's not mom, and I thought you trusted me enough to know I'd never do that!" Buffy yelled, running into the apartment, angerily pushing past them.

Angel looked from Ted to Joyce, before walking into the apartment uninvited. If Ted had tried to stop him, Angel would've just plowed him over. But instead, Ted just glared.

Once inside, Angel turned down the hallway and opened the last door. He poked his head inside and saw Buffy lying on her bed, her back facing him. Her whole body was shaking, and Angel knew she was crying.

He walked over to her bed and sat down beside her. He put a hand on her waist and she sat up into his arms.

"I hate him so much," she said, sobbing. "He thinks he's my father because he's screwing my mom."

"Buffy..." Angel soothed. "He's not your father, you know that. And, just ignore what he says... It doesn't matter."

"I know it doesn't," she said. "But still, it takes all my strength not to beat the crap out of him."

He smiled. "I could do it for you."

"That would be great, except you already did enough beatings for... What ever happened... Why were you such a no-show?"

"Well, after you left... Someone called the police. And, the rest is obvious."

"Who bailed you out?"

"Spike. Believe it or not, Spike bailed me out. Spike bailed me out," he said.

Buffy smiled. "Yes, Spike bailed you out. He's a good guy. And he's your friend."

Angel looked to the clock on her bedside table, quarter to ten. "I should get going. Katie usually likes me to read to her before bed."

Buffy nodded. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

He nodded as well, and leaned in to kiss her once more before standing. "If you need me, I'm just three doors away."

Buffy smiled up at him. "And you'll listen this time?"

"I promise," he said, opening the door. "Goodnight Buffy."

"Night Angel," Buffy said and watched as he left before lying back down on her bed.

She closed her eyes, not bothering to change or finish her homework, and quickly drifted off to sleep.