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"Will you stop screaming please? I'm a bit hung over and you have quite the set of pipes!" Doyle barked at Buffy, she abruptly stopped screaming. "Are you always this jumpy?" Doyle was unusually grump, his normal morning hang over had come back with a vengeance and he was out of liquor and pain killers. In fact that's why he was in the basement apartment; he left some ibuprofens in the bathroom once.

"What do you want? Do you always force yourself into other people's homes? You can't just come into someone's home uninvited?" Buffy voice started to crack she had started out yelling at him but the images of her trashed childhood home filled her head. "You can't just barge..." Buffy couldn't help the tears that began to flow down her cheeks; she took a step back so that she was now touching the fridge. Doyle could only stare at her in shock. He understood that he may have scared the girl but this was a bit extreme.

Tentatively he stepped forward and reached for her; this seemed to cause a bad reaction. Buffy saw his approaching hand and it wasn't his hand anymore it was the other man's.

"No, don't touch me, you can't touch me." She cried angrily through her tears as she curled herself into a ball on the kitchen floor. Doyle just stepped back and stared at her trying to figure out a way to help her.

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The City Hall building looked like most important government buildings. Roman style pillars were in the front a stone stair case led from the side walk to the brick building that housed all of Sunydale's important civil servants.

Climbing up the grand staircase to the building Buffy and Angel joked and flirted, laughing the whole way up. There were quite a few stairs and Angel was noticing the light sweat that had began collecting on Buffy's brow from the power of the hot sun and the steep climb. He was almost so distracted he almost missed her next teasing remark.

"What happens when I get an A on my paper?" Buffy said laughing as Angel came around to open the door to City Hall. Feigning pulling the door handle instead he pulled her to him and kissed her soundly. "Hmm more of that I hope," Buffy responded softly their foreheads still touching.

"Much more," he replied back then quickly kissed her on her lips. "Plus I was thinking maybe we could do dinner. You know, go on a real date?" He smiled down at her then opened the door, waiting for her to walk through.

"A real date? Sounds nice." Buffy said as she walked through the heavy door into the dark foyer of the building.

"But Angel," Buffy said in her best mock innocent voice, "What if I don't get an A?"

"Baby, I'll make sure you get an A." He responded his voice extra husky.

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"Buffy, I'm home." Angel called from the stairs.

"Angel, get down her quick man there's something wrong with the lass!" He heard Doyle's voice call from the kitchen. Jumping the rest of the stairs Angel sprinted the short distance to the kitchen seeing Doyle standing by table staring at an obviously distraught Buffy who was curled up next to the refrigerator. With a soft vacant look in her eyes.

"Buffy," Angel spoke softly while scooping her up into his arms. Sitting down on the floor and pulling her into his lap rocking her softly in his arms. "It's ok it was just Doyle. Nothing is ever going to happen to you. I'll never let anything happen to you." He whispered to her. Doyle just stared at the couple watching how Buffy relaxed in Angel's arms, how she seemed to calm and the life began to return to her eyes again.

"Doyle, why don't you go and wait for me in the living room, OK?" Angel told the stunned Doyle. Still holding Buffy in his arms he picked her up and paused, waiting for Doyle's response.

"Oh yeah, umm I'll just be in the living room." Doyle turned around and made his way to the living room. Crashing down on the couch, he put his head in his hands. He could hear Angel still telling Buffy words of comfort, he assumed he had taken her to the bedroom and he was proven correct when he heard the bedroom door shut.

Angel approached Doyle from behind making sure he could hear him coming. Taking a seat in the chair opposite the couch Angel sat down.

"Is she gonna be alright man? She looked pretty shaken up"

"She'll be fine; this is the first time this has happened since we got to LA. At least she's getting better." The last sentence was said mostly for his own benefit. It was progress they had been in LA two weeks and only this attack so far. Plus she had been nicer to him lately maybe the colder weather had hardened her beautiful heart. Whatever it was he was thankful for it. She was the only bright light in his dank world. Doyle looked at him expectantly and then started to speak.

"Angel you have been very cryptic with this whole deal!" Doyle stood up and began pacing the small area of the room. "Even after I made you tell me what was going I'm sure as hell you didn't tell me everything! Especially now, Angel what in the name of all that is holy is going on? I understand you fell in with some bad folk, pissed off the wrong people, but I just don't..."

"They killed her Mom." Angel said lifting his head to look in her eyes. "They burned down our grandparent's old house; I was living there at the time. They were trying to kill me." Angel stared deeply into his eyes, Doyle sat back down.

"Jesus Christ Angel! This is deeper than I ever thought." Doyle responded looking straight back into his cousin's intense gaze.

"It really is." Angel sighed closing his eyes and leaning his head back. "I don't want to endanger you too by telling you too much, but I guess I should at least fill you in a bit more."