Angel could feel the anger raging beneath the seemingly calm surface he presented. He curled his fists and clenched his jaw preparing for a fight. He could easily vamp out and attack Spike, in fact, that's what he longed to do. Instead, he calmly walked past the two of them and shut himself in his office. He needed to think about what just happened otherwise he would explode in rage and fury.

I just walked in on the only woman I've ever loved and the demon...well let's just say were not exactly best friends. Why would she do this to me? She's at my office, my home, kissing Spike. I should have known. I had my hopes up when Dawn assumed she was coming to see me. She, in fact, was here for Spike. He was the last...vampire...she was with and probably the last person she was in love with. She's moved on from our relationship.

At that moment Angel heard a knock on the door and Buffy stepped timidly into the room. She knew that Angel was upset and she didn't want to make matters worse. However, she had to explain herself. She longed to tell Angel the truth; that, as a matter of fact, she had come for him, not Spike.

"Angel I should explain," Buffy began slowly.

"You don't have to explain anything," mumbled Angel. His back was to Buffy as he stood 10 feet away from her. "I understand. You're in love with Spike. I accept it. I'm done playing the jealous ex-boyfriend."

"That's not it at all," cried Buffy moving in closer towards Angel.

"Really?" exclaimed Angel as he turned around to face Buffy "then was that, just a hello? Do you greet every vampire you see with your tongue in their mouth?"

"Once again, there was no tongue," Buffy thought back to the day she had greeted Angel exactly the same way. She remembered they had a conversation very similar to the one they are having now.

"Buffy," Angel began.

"Angel. I came here to see you," interrupted Buffy. "I could...feel you...the other day you were at my hotel. I felt you there and I tried to ignore it but I couldn't. I needed to see you again. But when I got here you were gone and Spike was..."

"Here?" Angel suggested, finishing the story.

"Well, yes," replied Buffy. "I thought he was dead Angel. He had died right in front of my eyes. I had that happen to me once before with someone I loved...it was so unfair that it happened again. But Spike...Spike knew..." Buffy couldn't finish what she was trying to say.

"Spike knew what?" Angel asked. He could feel the emotion rising up in his throat. It was full of sadness and anger. He wanted to take Buffy by the arms and shake all of this nonsense out of her. She was supposed to be his girl, his Buffy, for always.

Buffy was quiet. She still didn't want to admit she loved Angel. She couldn't admit it. First of all, that would be acknowledging what Spike had said as true. And second of all, she would have to face herself and divulge the inner secret of her heart. She can't move on...because I'm forever in love...with Angel.

Buffy mustered herself together trying not to fall apart as she spoke. Her knees weakened but she stood up straight and even managed to walk in Angel's direction.

"Spike knew..." said Buffy through the tears streaming down her cheeks. "That I...loved only one person and that one person...will always have my heart. Angel...I love you." Buffy began to sob as her emotions poured out of her. "When you walked in I was kissing Spike." Angel clenched his jaw at the memory. "But I was only kissing him to torture him... to convince him and myself that I wasn't in love with you, because it hurts Angel. It hurts that I can't be with you...that I can't love you."

"Buffy," Angel choked, his own emotions beginning to pour out of his soul. "I will always love you. No matter what happens or what has happened. I never once needed to convince myself that I wasn't in love with you. I accepted it...and it hurts everyday. I don't see a sunset without thinking about you and the night we had together. That's the difference between you and me Buffy...I never wanted to convince myself that I wasn't in love with you. Now go, Buffy, please... just leave."

"But Angel," Buffy broke down.

Angel gazed at Buffy for a little while longer. He memorized the way she looked at that exact moment. Her hair long and beautiful framed the sides of her face. Little strands stuck to her cheeks as the tears streamed down her face. He wanted to wipe those tears away like he had time and time before but he couldn't bring himself to touch her. The hurt was too much. Her eyes were captivating and yet full of sorrow and her soft lips trembled as sobs ripped through her throat. Angel turned slowly away.

Buffy stood there for a minute. She played the scene over and over again in her head. His back towards her she yearned to walk up behind him and run her hands over his strong back and through his hair. She knew that it was impossible. Angel was to upset and so was she. She walked slowly out of the room. Spike was nowhere to be seen and Buffy didn't care she just wanted to leave.

As Buffy closed the door behind her Angel slammed his fist into the desk. He asked her to leave but he wasn't sure if he truly meant it. Angel walked out of his office and found Spike lurking in a corner outside of the door. Angel's fists and jaw clenched in anger again.

"I'm sorry mate," started Spike. "She really is a manipulative little Slayer, isn't she?"

"Don't call her that," Angel growled.

"What are you saying mate?" asked Spike "She hurt you and she used me. End of story."

Spike wasn't sure he meant what he was saying. He honestly didn't feel that way about Buffy but at this moment he wanted nothing more than to unleash his feelings, and he knew Angel could use a little unleashing as well.

"Face the facts Dead Boy that's all we are to her...dead. She's a rotten bitch anyway."

At that Angel punched Spike square in the jaw. Spike fell back and quickly got up. Retaliating against Angel Spike lunged forward knocking him to the ground. Angel rolled on top of Spike and began to punch the living daylights out of his face.

"Why do I always end up on the bottom love?" asked Spike between punches. Using his knees to lift Angel off of him, Spike kicked Angel straight across the room. "That's more like it."

Angel got up shaking off the pain in his head. He raced towards Spike and punched him once more in the face. Spike took the hit and hooked Angel with his left fist. Angel received the punch spinning around and then kicking Spike in the back of the head.

Angel had knocked Spike to the ground. He then lifted Spike back up again by the back of his collar and held him up in the air. Angel punched Spike twice in the face and then kicked him in the groin. Spike yelled out in pain and Angel dropped him to the ground. He walked out of the building leaving Spike curled on the floor in the fetal position. As Angel walked away he mumbled to himself.

"That's more like it."

Buffy went back to the hotel trying to contain herself until she reached her room. She ran through the lobby and quickly bolted up the stairs not wanting to slow down the process by taking the elevator. When she reached her room Dawn was not there. Buffy wasn't worried; instead, she was grateful, she wouldn't have wanted Dawn to see her like this anyway. Unannounced to Buffy, however, Dawn had seen Buffy distraught and running through the hotel lobby. Connor had spotted a young woman running past who seemed to be terribly upset. When Dawn took a closer look she realized it was her sister.

"That's Buffy," gasped Dawn. "Something must have happened."

"Maybe you should check on her," suggested Connor worried about what might have happened. He had heard some of the stories about his father and Buffy and the majority of them didn't end with happily ever after.

"I don't understand what could have happened," thought Dawn aloud to Connor. "They both seemed so excited to see one another. I'd go and check on Buffy but I have a feeling she wants to be left alone right now."

"Yeah, well, I want to know what happened," began Connor. "Why don't you come with me and we can ask Angel about it."

"I don't know Connor," replied Dawn "Angel probably doesn't want to be bothered either."

"Well, I have to stop by the office anyway to tell Angel whether or not I'm going patrolling tonight."

"Are you?" asked Dawn wondering where this was headed.

"Well, actually, I was thinking of asking this really pretty girl I met the other day if she wanted to go out tonight," replied Connor.

"Oh," said Dawn in dismay then she realized he was talking about her. "OH!"

Connor laughed as he saw Dawn brighten up and a huge smile spread across her face.

"I'd love too," replied Dawn. Overwhelmed by excitement Dawn started to run towards the elevator so she could go and get ready. She quickly realized she left Connor just standing there. Dawn turned around and rushed back in his direction. She gave Connor a huge hug and placed a quick but nice kiss on his cheek. Connor smiled widely and blushed. At this Dawn headed back towards the elevator doors, slowly this time, so that she could play with Connor's mind. Connor stared at the back of her awhile, opened mouthed, checking her out and fully aware that she was toying with him. Before she stepped on to the elevator Connor called out.

"I'll meet you here at 7:00."

Dawn smiled as the elevator doors closed and Connor left the hotel with a slight skip in his step.