Disclaimer: Joss owns everything. I'm just borrowing.

Teaser:

"You have no idea how cute you are when you do that, do you?" She asked, watching him with the eyes of a sixteen-year-old girl, helplessly in love.

"I don't. No reflection, remember?" Angel looked over at Buffy for a moment, and then dropped his eyes to his book once again. He didn't know how 'cute' it was when he got absorbed in one of his books, but he was secretly pleased that she thought so. He glanced up again to see her pushing her books away and lifting her arms over her head in a stretch. Now that was cute.

"Break time." She said with her usual cheer.

"You haven't been studying for fifteen minutes. What do you need a break for?"

She walked towards him and sat down unceremoniously in his lap, giving him a quick peck on the lips that would have turned into something more if he hadn't gently pushed her away. "What?" She pouted.

"You aren't getting anything done here."

"Do you really think I came here to study?" She tilted her head at him inquisitively. "I mean, do you really believe that?"

"I guess I don't." He said good-naturedly. "But really, Buffy, you should use the time you have. Demons have been few and far between lately and you should take advantage of it and get ahead-" He paused. "Actually, you should get caught up while you can."

"Yeah, yeah." Buffy rolled her eyes, but she slid from his lap and scooted down the couch back to her homework. "Mr. No Fun Guy." She quipped under her breath.

"I can hear you."

She grumbled something unintelligible and lifted her pencil, telling herself she needed to concentrate and make a real effort if only to get her rewards from Angel later. She smiled to herself at the thought and let her mind wander as she considered how much fun patrolling with Angel had been lately.

"Mr. No Fun Guy!" Willow exclaimed into the phone.

"Exactly."

"Did he think you came there to study? The nerve of him to tell you what to do like that." Willow continued.

"Exactly." Buffy repeated.

"And after all the hard work you've been doing lately, what with all of the demons you've been fighting and all of the homework you've been doing. Oh wait, you haven't been doing any of that."

"Exac-" Buffy started, then paused as what Willow had said dawned on her. "Hey!"

"Buffy, Angel is just looking out for you. He cares about you and he wants to see you not failing school. I bet he wouldn't be able to forgive himself if you fail a test because the night you were supposed to be studying for it you were too busy making out with him."

"What is this, everyone rag on Buffy night? Maybe I should call Giles and see what he has to say about me being late for training today."

"Buffy, I'm not trying to nag. Really. But you have been slacking a little bit lately."

Joyce knocked on Buffy's door, then entered without waiting for an invitation. "Sweetie, you didn't take out the trash like I asked you to do last night. You need to get off the phone and come downstairs. I need your help with some other things too."

Buffy groaned aloud. It looked like everyone wanted all work and no play from her today. Lucky her.

With a groan she got off the phone and went down the hall. At the head of the stairs she stepped on her own pant leg and before she knew what was happening she was tumbling down the stairs, cracking her elbow against the wall and leaving a large hole in the plaster. Near the last step her leg got caught beneath the weight of her body and her femur splintered as she hit. When she reached the bottom she simply passed out, unable to deal with the pain.

"Buffy. Buffy! Answer me!" Joyce was screaming, but it was all in the blackness and she couldn't follow the voice.