It was a good while later that the couple decided to move once more. Buffy lifted her head for a kiss, breaking away before the need for air could assert itself,

"What now?"

"Now nothing, baby. Now, you sleep, and I find Dawn."

"Sleep sounds like a good plan. You wont go while I sleep?" Her voice had become slightly panicked at the thought, and Angel was quick to re-assure her.

"I said I wouldn't leave you, and I meant it." He tipped her chin up to meet her eyes, gave her a quick kiss on the nose, and made a move to get up, before she stopped him.

"For two people in love who haven't seen each other in over a week, that was a very poor hello"

"I'm terribly sorry, milady. How can I try to amend the situation?" He kissed her once more, before she pulled away.

"Well, that's a good start."

Downstairs, Dawn stirred slightly in her sleep.

A few hours later, Angel woke up, and found himself on Buffy's bed with his arms around her and her head resting on his chest. They hadn't even bothered to get undressed, and just went to sleep where they were. Remembering Dawn, and the need for Joyce not to know he was there, he moved Buffy's head from it's position on him to a nearby cushion, and unwrapped his arms around her. As he got up, she stirred and whimpered in her sleep.

"Angel?" He sat back down and began to stroke her hair lovingly once more, and resigned himself to staying there for the rest of the night.

"I'm not going anywhere, love." She sensed that he hadn't left her, and drifted off again, and Angel knew he wouldn't be going anywhere fast. Well, he had promised her that he wouldn't go anywhere.

When Angel woke up again, he could smell sunrise coming, and knew that no matter what Buffy thought, he had to get out of there unless she really did want him to turn to dust. The thought was not a pleasant one.

Again, he moved her off of him and tried to get up. Again, she stopped him almost unconsciously, and he was forced to wake her.

"Buffy, it's almost sunrise. I have to move somewhere where there's no sun." She mumbled something and buried her head further into his chest. Angel smiled fondly at her. Buffy was truly amazing. They had tried so many times to keep away from each other, and yet every time, they kept coming back for more. For more what, he didn't know. More heartache, more pain, or more love?

"Buffy. Buffy, c'mon sweetheart, you have to move. The sun will be up in less than an hour – we can go to the mansion, and still be together." She made another sound that may or may not have been a "yes", but did loosen her hold on him just enough for him to move off the bed.

She looks so beautiful first thing in the morning. And in the evening. And while she's sleeping. And – oh who am I kidding, she's just beautiful. The most gorgeous thing I've ever seen, and I've seen a lot.

"Get up then, Buffy, and we can go to the mansion and stay there as long as you want."

"Dawn –"

"Will be fine. Leave her a note, saying you went out with a friend, and you'll be back later."

Ad so it came to be that a 243-year-old vampire and an 18-year-old vampire Slayer walked the streets of Sunnydale in the very early hours of the morning, holding hands as if they had never parted.

Is it just me, or is this chapter rubbish?