Chapter 2

Buffy looked from Riley to Angel and then back to Riley. "Oh god, Riley."

She was freaking out. Riley was staring at her with so much rage that she swore that it wouldn't be long before he and Angel started fighting. She had to figure out what she was going to do. She did not want Angel to leave but Riley was there and she did owe him an explanation.

"Buffy." Riley said sternly as he entered the room staring angrily at Angel and moving right beside Buffy wrapping his arm around her possessively.

"I'd better be going, thanks for the coffee Buffy." Angel said his deep brown eyes peered at her lovingly before turning and heading for the door. His eyes fell onto Riley's form and a low growl escaped his lips. "Keep her safe." He turned once more to his ex lover and his brown eyes stopped at mossy ones." I'll call you later beloved."

Buffy watched him leave and she wiggled herself free from Riley's grasp turning to look at him. "Sit, I'll be back."

She rushed out the door and stepped outside, she found him sitting on her steps.

"Angel?" Her small voice startled him out of his thoughts and he shifted his head, their eyes locking.

"Don't worry Buffy I'll be fine, go back, talk to Riley, I'll call you soon."

Tears formed in Buffy's eyes and she joined him on the stairs, leaning in closer to him she wrapped her arms tightly around him. A small grin formed on his lips and he hugged her back.

Placing a small kiss on her forehead, he pulled out of her embrace, she sobbed for what felt like an eternity, and Angel held her close rubbing her back. "I love you."

"I love you too Angel."

He didn't care at that moment that her boyfriend was there, watching them and he pulled her closer to him, pressing his cool lips on hers. The kiss was pure, full of love and pain and his stomach knotted. 'How could he leave her right now, did he really want too? Yes he needed too; she had things she needed to resolve.' Brushing her wet matted hair from her eyes, he kissed her softly once more before walking away from her and into the night.

Buffy entered the house and Riley was sitting staring at his hands not looking up to her.

"He's gone now, right? No more catching you two together." He asked getting up and walking towards the kitchen.

A frown crossed her features and she sighed loudly, "I'm sorry Riley, he just came to see how I was doing, he's gone now."

Riley's angry glare searched her saddened eyes and she tried hard to hold the tears that were forming. "Are you alright, I haven't seen you in a while." She asked walking closer to him and grabbing his hand.

What sounded to be like a small whimper escaped his lips and he pulled away from her, his gaze averting to the door.

"I'm fine, I need to go."

He didn't look at her he just grabbed his jacket angrily and slammed the front door. She watched him go. She never tried to stop him and she never said that she was sorry for what he walked in on. Why, because she wasn't, she was happy Angel had showed up. But how could she let him walk away again when all she wanted him to do was stay, stay forever.

A small smile formed on her puckered lips. After everything calmed down and Adam was destroyed, she was going to have a long talk with Riley. One she should have had a long time ago.

It had been a couple of months now since Adam was destroyed. Her mom wasn't well, they found something more in her head than what they bargained for. Her and Riley were not getting along and the new evil in town, Glory, wasn't making anything easier.

She sighed sitting on the hospital chair Dawn sat next to her, sleeping peacefully. Rubbing her head gently she pulled a quarter out of her pocket and headed to the phone.

Dawn stirred and feeling the absence of her sister, her eyes frantically looked for her. Seeing Buffy standing by the phone, she sighed with relieve. Curious as to whom she was calling she crept slowly behind her.

Buffy fidgeted from foot to foot waiting for someone to answer, finally the answering machine picked up. "Hi, I…umm, my mom she's not any better, I decided to move back home. I'm sure you're busy. I just needed too…I don't know, talk, but maybe later. If you get this please call me at my mom's. I…I love you Angel." She hung up the phone and Dawn spun her around staring intensely at her.

"What are you doing Buffy?" Her sister asked angrily.

"Nothing I was trying to get a hold of someone."

Dawn stared angrily at her sister. "Riley is hurting cause you won't let him in and now I know why." She snapped, her hands going to her hips, an angry scowl crossing her features.

Buffy frowned and walked closer to her placing her hand on Dawn's shoulder. "Dawn it's not like that I..." Buffy sighed watching her sister's anger rise. Dawn ignored her and pushed passed Buffy glaring intensely at the new body standing in front of her.

"You shouldn't be here."

Angel smiled at her and pulled Dawn into his strong grasp hugging her. A smile formed on Buffy's lips and she walked closer to him.

"Angel?"

He gave her a half smile and pulled her into him, hugging both girls tightly, when a doctor came over and told them they could see Joyce.

Buffy looked at Angel, "I need to see her, wait right here." She said, almost afraid that she would come back to find him gone.

Angel smiled at her reassuringly and nodded.

It had been about an hour since Buffy went in to see Joyce and Dawn was still angry. She watched Angel as he sat peacefully on the chair outside of her mother's room. She loved Angel, he had always been protective of her through the years, she always felt comforted by his presence but not now, now she didn't want to be here any more, she just wanted to go and run away from everyone.

Angel looked away finally and opened a magazine, pretending he was interested in the new fashions. Seeing her chance Dawn stood up and quickly ran down and out of the corridor.

Buffy closed the door to her mother's room and her eyes immediately fell on Angel. His nose was deep in a magazine and then he finally looked up at her smiling slightly.

"Buffy, how is she?" He asked, handing her a cup of coffee.

She smiled slightly, grabbed her coat and sat down in the chair next to him.

"Good, tired but good. Where's Dawn?" She asked searching the long hallway.

Angel shrugged and looked towards her and back to the hallway. The last time he had seen her, she was lying across all four chairs waiting for Buffy to come back she had given Angel a small smile before he had dug his nose in the very boring magazine. That's all he could remember. " Uh, she was here a second ago. Maybe she's in the washroom?" He answered and slipped his hand in hers taking her to the reception desk.

They waited for almost a half an hour and there was still no sign of Dawn, finally the young male nurse explained that he had seen Dawn leave. Angel thanked the male and his eyes fell on Buffy's, a small sigh escaped her lips and she hesitated for a second then grabbed his hand entwining his fingers with hers.

"Come with me. Stay with me tonight?" He looked at her with reservation then squeezed her hand following her out the door.

Buffy stopped instantly at the phone booth, tearing her grip from his large hands she dialled her home. Dawn answered and Buffy was relieved, telling her sister she would be home soon, she hung up and started off towards her home.

It was a cold night, the wind grew stronger blowing all around them making Buffy shiver. Angel noticed and pulled off his jacket placing it over her shoulders. They walked in silence towards her house.

Buffy smiled as the warmth of Angel's jacket reminded her of memories of them; their first kiss, him giving her his jacket, her seventeenth birthday. Tears flooded her eyes and he squeezed her hand looking down at her.

"You okay love?"

She nodded leaning her head on his arm. As they got to her house Angel felt a familiar presence and his face changed, his fangs appearing, with one swift move he was in front of Buffy, his arm wrapped tightly around the male's neck in front of him.

"Spike! What the hell are you doing here?" Angel growled, his other arm swung around punching Spike hard in the face. Spike flew across the lawn landing hard beside the tree.

Buffy ran over to Angel, pulling the larger vampire off the smaller one, standing in between them. "He's good now, he has a chip, he can't hurt anyone." She yelled pushing her angry lover away from Spike's form.

Angel looked at her confused; she smiled then shrugged her shoulders. "Long story."

She turned to Spike and stood over him, looking down at him angrily. "What do you want Spike?" The anger was evident on her face as she stood glaring at him with her hands on her hips.

The bleach blond glanced up at her then to Angel, standing up he threw the last off his cigarette away and wiped the dust off his long duster.

"There's something you might want to see luv."

Angel growled moving in closer and Spike laughed nervously as he reached into his pocket for another cigarette, taking it out he sparked it.

Ignoring Spike's mocking stare Angel's hand wrapped tightly around the younger vampire's neck. "Don't you ever call her luv!" Angel's demon appeared and a low grumble escaped his lips.

Buffy watched and sighed loudly making them both look at her. "Come on, quit with the jealous act. What do you want Spike?"

Angel could hear the anger in her voice and the annoyed look in her eyes and he backed away giving Spike a chance to talk.

Spike took another drag of his smoke and a devious grin crossed his lips, his eyes narrowed toward his sire's and he snorted, "Follow me slayer." Spike spun around his black duster flapping in the wind, without saying anything else, he headed to town. Angel snarled loudly behind Spike and the younger vampire tensed, he could sense Angelus' rage more than usual and that frightened him. Buffy sighed loudly but followed behind.

After only a few moments the slayer looked up at her mate, giving him a reassuring look. A half grin crossed his mouth and his arms tightened around her waist. 'Spike wasn't going to touch her, or call her luv ever again, he was going to make sure of that.'

TBC