Chance Meeting

Chapter 2: Invitations

Timeline: One year after Season 7; Post-Rent

The two made their way out of the graveyard, enjoying the comfortable silence between them. Buffy looked around but saw nothing aside from apartment buildings. 'Great, now where.' Once again she decided to break the silence. "Well, how about you pick the place. I'm still kind of new here."

Mark crinkled his face in thought and then shrugged. "The Life Café is pretty good. It makes a great meeting place for everybody around here."

They agreed upon it, and Mark started to lead the way. "So, why were you hanging around the graveyard at night?" Buffy knew that question would pop up. That still didn't mean she had an answer to it however. If she answered she was visiting, she would be asked who. Then her story could easily be disproved. She gave off a moment of hesitation as she formulated a decent response. "Um, it gives me a place to think." 'Lame, but it'll do for now.' She took in the look of disbelief he gave her, but was glad that he didn't pursue it with further questions.

As they walked in, Buffy noticed the host of the café's face turn from welcoming to very annoyed in a matter of seconds. "Please not today. We just had a few very important people arrive, and we don't need you people causing another mess. Just please go."

It took all of her energy to hold back a huge smile and the laugh threatening to escape behind it. After a beat, Mark walked up to the irritated worker. "Look, its just the two of us. We'll be good today. No outbursts. I promise." He flashed a smile, tapped his hand on the host's podium, and walked in the restaurant finding his own table, not bothering to wait to be seated.

Buffy sat in the seat across from Mark and finally let out the laugh that she was containing. "It seems you're well liked here." That goofy smile appeared on his face, and she just watched as he went into a flashback of his own. "Well, some people just don't know how to enjoy life." Buffy nodded and gave a smirk. She wished she knew what had gone on here. Whatever it was, it probably made for a very fun time.

"You said you were new here right? Where are you from? And why here if I may ask?" They both shared a laugh at the last question. Buffy was all set with a quick story to answer the questions. She was just a small town girl looking to make it big in the city. The lie would work nicely if it weren't for the nagging feeling of guilt in her stomach. He seemed quite genuine and she wouldn't feel right just flat out lying to him. 'Truth it is. I'll just have to omit a few details.'

A waitress came by, they ordered quickly, and Buffy began her tale. She started with how she had to move from Sunnyh—dale because of that really strange natural disaster. "A sinkhole, who would have thought." Then she said how she traveled around a bit before she found her friends in Cleveland. "They're like my family." And she stopped when she felt the itch to move again and found herself in New York. "I didn't have much money by this time, so I found something in Alphabet city."

At this point, the food came, and conversation was put on the back burner. Moments later, though, Mark chimed in. "Your friends sound really nice. I understand what that's like; my friends are my family as well."

Buffy urged him on, and Mark took over the conversation with stories of his friends. He started with a story from Christmas two years ago. How he'd met Angel. About his ex's protest of Cyberland. Roger and himself fighting with Benny about rent. Maureen and Joanne's disastrous engagement reception. But then he seemed to stop around Christmas of last year. It was the story of Mimi coming back from the brink of death.

The tale made Buffy freeze. She sat there rigid for a moment, feeling shivers through her body, before she became in control of herself again. Thankfully Mark was too involved in telling the story to notice the change in her demeanor. Now was not the time for that conversation. 'I had one of those moments when I died…twice. Yeah, that'd go over real well Buffy.'

The check came and distracted her from her thoughts. She quickly snatched it from the table. Mark was about ready to protest, but Buffy started poking him in the chest playfully. "I said my treat Mister." Flashing a smile his way, she turned and paid the bill.

They walked out together and started the trip to their buildings. "You sound like you have an interesting family here too then. I just wish I could've been here to know Angel. She sounded like one in a billion." Mark smiled and nodded. "He was."

The walk home made her realize just how long she had been up. She covered up a few yawns and kept going when she noticed Mark had stopped. He just gave her a smile and pointed to the building. "This is me. Maybe you could come over sometime… to meet my friends and all. When you're not so tried of course. We're all getting together here tomorrow; perhaps you could come. 9ish?"

He was really trying to be slick about this, she could tell, but it wasn't coming off that way. It was coming off a bit more awkward. 'It's still very cute.'

"Perhaps." She gave him a quick grin and they both parted, Mark to his apartment, and Buffy towards her building.

It was a few steps later when she heard Mark's voice. It wasn't meant for her to hear, but those are the perks to slayer hearing. Leaning with her back against the wall, she listened as he sang a song. Once it was over, she started her walk home again, a new song in her head. It wasn't until the first couple lines that she realized she was singing out loud. She shrugged and continued along.

"There's only now
There's only here
Give in to love
Or live in fear
No other path
No other way

No day but today…"

A/N: Ok, so this is no longer a one shot, which means it's a work in progress. I do have ideas as to what will happen (fear not, there will be a plotline). But I just hope you will understand that I am slightly busy, so I may take some time in between updates. I hope that's ok, and the next chapter will be up whenever I find some more time.

Thanks so much to all of you who reviewed. As always, reviews are still oh so appreciated. Please leave some.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. I'm just a poor college student. Don't waste your time.