Chapter Three

Angel was in the mansion he used to call home after he returned from his demon dimension. He was currently practicing T'ai Chi to help him relax. He brought his arms down together in front of him and then over to his right. Then, as he slid his left arm up across his abdomen, he crossed his right arm over his left. His motions remained fluid as he slowly moved his left arm out in front of him, palm up, and extended his right arm out to his side.

Buffy watched Angel from the doorway, not making her presence known, but remaining visible. She had become amazed with his graceful motion. He once taught her how to do T'ai Chi, but then it lead to touching and at the time Buffy was trying to keep her distance from anything physical. It could've been the whole 'I'm gonna kill you and your friends thing' that threw her off. As Angel circled around with his left arm his glance was caught by Buffy's figure. Her bright blonde hair was left down and it rested on her dark jean jacket. Angel took notice of her white tank top and form fitting jeans.

"Buffy," he greeted her in his soft tone.

"Angel." Buffy stepped inside, her dark brown boots striking the cement floor. "You still do it topless?"

Angel looked down. "Oh." He grabbed his button up maroon shirt from the floor and put it on. "It's so the movement isn't constricted."

Buffy pursed her lips and nodded. She took a glance around while he finished adjusting his shirt. When she faced him his arms were at his side and some smooth skin was exposed where two buttons remained undone. Buffy quickly diverted her eyes and looked at the ground. "So, how are you?"

"I've been worse."

Buffy turned and faced him, keeping her eyes locked on his. However her eyes began to wander around his chiseled face and finally rested on his soft lips-"I should go." Buffy altered her direction and began to head out but Angel rushed in front of her and intervened.

"No. Please stay," Angel requested. Buffy looked up at his face. All she could remember at the moment was how good it felt when they used to kiss.

"All right, I'll stay." Buffy started walking towards the fireplace.

"Sorry there's no furniture."

"That's all right," she said with a smile. "We can do it like the Chinese do… Or is it Japanese?"

They both had a small chuckle. Angel ran his fingernails against the back of his head before he asked, "How are you?"

"I've been worse." Buffy and Angel just stared at each other, memories flooding back. "Why are you here?" she finally asked.

"You're not happy to see me?"

"No, it's not that. It's just that whenever we need to talk there's some big bad in town planning an Apocalypse or the world's gonna end. That's why I'm talking to you first."

"You haven't talked to Spike yet?" he asked with hidden enthusiasm.

"No, I haven't talked to Spike yet," she answered sharply.

Angel was taken back by her shrill tone, but figured it was just from stress. Or maybe Spike was just being himself and annoying her on end. It wasn't impossible. "I love you."

Buffy's face remained the same; emotionless. Why is he doing this?

"I came here to tell you that I love you and I want to be with you."

Tears started swelling in her eyes. Now the bad memories came back, reminding her why she didn't want to but then the admirable ones quickly reappeared and made her really want to. Angel moved towards her and kissed her. Buffy gladly kissed him back, placing her hands on the side of his face and pulling him closer. Angel placed his arms on her hips and held her near as they continued to kiss.

Suddenly Buffy stopped and swerved around him. Angel was stunned and turned to look at her. Her back was facing him, hiding the tears she was shedding. "I have to go." She ran out and into the sunlight where Angel couldn't follow.

Buffy power walked away from the mansion, never looking back. If she saw the estate she didn't know if she would have enough restraint to keep herself from going back and continuing their make out session. That was very much on the 'can't happen' list.

Soon Buffy found herself in the graveyard where Spike's tomb was located. She wondered if he was home, maybe his news would be calming. Who was she kidding? He probably wanted to talk about how they slept together, how he knows she has feelings for him and top it all off with an 'I love you.' She walked past his crypt and headed home.

"Buffy!" Spike yelled by the window. He couldn't actually yell out it without possible inferno erupting on his skin. "I could smell ya a mile away pet!"

"Is that supposed to make me want to come in?" she yelled from the other side.

"No. Your love for me's gonna make you come in."

Buffy sighed. "I already told you Spike. I don't love you. I believe that you do but I don't love you back."

"Would ya just come in here and talk to me?"

"No way!"

"Why!"

"Because I'm… late for a meeting at Giles's."

"Liar," Spike said with a smile.

"I am not," Buffy fibbed.

"That doesn't change the fact that I got to talk to ya Slayer."

"Well I can't right now. Angel has already made me late." Once Buffy said his name she regretted it. She knew Spike was gonna fly off the handle.

"You saw Angel first? You have any idea what that's gonna do to his ego?" he exclaimed.

"You two are being ridiculous."

"It's always been a competition between us." Spike opened his mouth in shock. "Uh oh," he said to himself, knowing the anger that would ensue.

"So I'm just a door prize," Buffy questioned in fury.

"No, when I said that I meant-"

"I know what you meant."

"No ya don't 'cause if ya did ya wouldn't be mad." He waited for another outburst but all he could hear was a slight breeze rustling the leaves. "Buffy?" There was no answer. He rolled his eyes and went over to his bed. He grabbed his thin brown blanket, threw it over his body and ran out into the sunlight.

Angel continued with his T'ai Chi, trying to clear his mind of the previous event that occurred. He brought his hands around in a broad sweeping motion toward the door Buffy was at and then raised them and spread them apart with his palms facing away from him. An oncoming body made him quickly stop his relaxing exercise and prepare for an encounter. It ran right towards him, ramming its shoulder in his stomach and crushing his body against the wall. Angel punched it in the abdomen and kicked him away. The brown blanket fell from its body, revealing a bleach blonde vampire.

"Spike!"

"That's right ya stupid prat."

"What are you doing here?" Angel said in his usual angry tone he reserved for him.

"Kickin' yer ass." Spike advanced Angel and threw a punch to his face. Angel ducked and kicked Spike in the back.

"Looks like I'm kicking yours."

Spike screamed as he ran towards Angel. He rolled under Angel's punch and elbowed him in the rear and kicked the backside of his left knee. Angel fell to the ground and Spike kicked the side of his face. He threw another punch but Angel blocked it and pushed Spike away. Angel flipped to his feet and jump kicked Spike in the stomach.

Three minutes later they were both bleeding from the nose and randomly spitting blood from their mouths. Buffy walked through the doorway and caught them wrestling on the floor.

"Oh my God," she said. They both looked up, keeping their holds on each other.

"You're back," Angel said.

Spike used his anger to throw Angel's head against the ground. He stood up and walked over to Buffy. "You're bleeding," she observed.

Angel pushed himself off the cement floor and stood next to Spike. "You came back." He side punched Spike in the face, taking Buffy and Spike by surprise.

"I was going back to talk to Spike and I saw that he was gone. And knowing you two, this was the first place I looked."

"You wanted to talk to me?" Spike tried punching Angel but he blocked it, grabbing a hold of his left wrist. Spike pulled him in and landed a right hook on Angel's left cheek, making him let go.

"Well clearly it would be inconvenient to talk now. Go back to beating each other up."

"Wait, I'm ready to talk," Spike insisted. He wanted to be alone with Buffy and away from Angel.

"No, go back to fighting. The prize is leaving."

"C'mon pet, I didn't mean what I said."

Buffy walked into the light that shone through the broken roof and faced Spike. "You still said it."

"Yes, but I meant that we always fight, we're not fightin' over you… I mean, we are but it's not like a competition… in a way."

"Keep digging Spike."

"What I'm sayin' is that bein' with you is important to me and if I have to fight then I will. If it's with Angel then all the better."

"Why don't the two of you just ask me what I want instead of beating up each other? Maybe I don't want to be with either of you. Maybe I'm over the boyfriend thing and I'm happy going stag." With that she turned and walked away.

Angel and Spike watched her leave. "Hear that? She doesn't want you," Spike informed Angel.

"She doesn't want you. I'm the one that got a kiss."

Spike faced Angel. "She kissed you?"

"Earlier."

Spike charged Angel again.

Buffy made her way home. She walked up the stairs and opened her front door. Everyone was gathered in the living room now. And presently looking at her like she was on display. "What'd Angel say?" Willow asked.

"He said he loved me and wanted to be with me."

Xander raised his hand and announced, "I'm stating my option for a whopping 'no way', right now."

"I second," Anya said, raising her hand as well.

"What are you going to do?" Willow asked with concern.

"I don't know. I still have to hear what Spike has to tell me but I'm not looking forward to that."

"Because he might put on more pressure of the 'I love you' thing?" Tara asked.

"If I may speak from experience Buffy, the triangle is not a friendly shape. It's pointy, it's got sharp edges. Triangles hurt people," Xander enlightened.

"You mean when you made out with Willow while you were dating Cordelia and she was dating Oz?"

"Hey, she kissed me too."

"I'm right here!" Willow informed.

"I know Xander but I'm not with either of them and I don't intend to be."

"Well let's look at your boyfriend rap sheet." Xander acted like he was looking at papers on a clipboard. "You kiss Angel and find out he's a vampire. You date him anyway. He loses his soul when you sleep together and then he comes back and you don't tell us. Then you date again and then he leaves town. Spike comes to town-"

"I'm going to stop you there and remind you of your wonderful undoomed relationships. You were infatuated with me, you fell for a praying mantis teacher and a mummy girl who sucked the life out of people. Then you fell for Cordelia and started making out in closets, you kissed Willow even though you were both involved with someone-"

"Hey," Willow intervened.

"It's true willow," Buffy said sadly.

"Yea, okay," Willow answered with a pout.

"And I'm going to stop you there because I don't want to hear any more of it," Giles interrupted. "Has everyone forgotten about The Trio?"

"Actually," Buffy started. Giles looked at her with annoyance. "Well they haven't done anything in the past couple days and I kind of have my hands full."

"We do too Buffy. We are trying to figure out where these boys are so you can stop them. They haven't done a lot of damage yet but I'd rather not give them a chance."

Buffy pursed her lips and said, "You're right. I'm sorry." She removed her jacket and finished with, "I'm gonna go make coffee and then we'll continue the pursuit."

"I'd like some more caffeinated," Xander said.

"Decaf for me," Willow announced. "Caffeine makes me a little queesy."

"I'd like some caffeinated coffee as well," Anya ordered.

"Ahn, you don't drink coffee."

"I know that but I don't want to be out of the coffee drinking circle."

Everyone continued their own research methods while Buffy made the coffee.