CH. 6 She always has to come interrupt! God she is so my bratty little sister Buffy thought as Dawn bound into the room and continued to hug Angel.

"What are you doing here?" the teen asked excitedly. She hadn't seen Angel in what seemed like forever. Now granted her memories of him weren't really hers but that didn't matter. All that mattered was one of her favorite people was here.

Having recovered from his extreme un-him like moment Angel straightened up and smiled warmly at the young woman before him. "I came to see Buffy and check up on you."

So it was a partial truth. He had come to see Buffy but not really to check up on Dawn. But in a situation like this he didn't see any harm in telling the girl that he was there for her as well. He loved her as well, but nothing as strong as his feelings for Buffy.

His answer made Dawn grin from ear to ear. He came to check on me. It made her feel important. Like she mattered. Since her moms death everyone had been treating her like a child. Even before her moms death they had. 'Oh Dawn isn't big enough to know this' 'its too dangerous'. She was sick of being treated as a child. She was 16 years old, she didn't need to be treated with kid gloves anymore.

"Are you staying long?" she prodded. Please say yes.

That was a hard question to answer. How am I suppose to answer that he thought. On one hand he wanted to stay forever. He'd give anything to be able to stay with his love. But on the other hand he had responsibilities in LA that he couldn't ignore either.

Buffy's ears perked up at Dawn's question. Although she didn't want to admit it she too had been wondering that same thing. Yeah how long are you staying? Or is this yet another of Angels famous 'Im here for you' then leaves skits. That's what he's good at. Leaving. It was cynical but it was also true.

Taking an unneeded breath he glanced back at Buffy's expectant eyes. It was as though he could read her thoughts. She expects me to leave. It killed him to think that, be he could see in her eyes that that was what she thought. Why would it be any different? I haven't shown her anything else.

After what seemed like forever he turned back to Dawn. "I'm going to stay as long as you want me."

Wait? What? Had she heard him right? Buffy looked at him, the sock apparent on her features. Did he just say he's going to stay?

Dawns excited squeal and rushed hug was Buffy's proof. He was staying.

Chuckling some Angel hugged Dawn back. He was happy that he'd made her so excited but what he really wanted to do was to see Buffy's expression. He hadn't intended to say he was going to stay. In fact he was about to say he was leaving in a day or so. But at the last second something in his screamed not to. There was something here he had to do.

Slowly coming out of her shock Buffy pulled herself off the bed. Her mind on overtime thinking about what had just happened. Why it had happened. What was going to happen. Question after question popped up in her head.

It was starting to feel very crowded in her room. She had to get out. She had to think. Making her way to the door she left, heading for the bathroom.

Frowning some "What's wrong with her?" Dawn asked. She thought her sister would be happy with the news that Angel was going to be staying.

Standing up as quick as he could Angel was at the door before Dawn even finished her question. "uh- I'm not sure…" With that he rushed out of Buffy's room and down the hall, grabbing her by the elbow just as she walked in the bathroom. "Hey what's wrong?"

YOU CONFUSE ME! Her brain screamed. You show up out of no where and now youre going to stay? What are you playing at! Why do you do this to me! Why do you get me twisted up inside! But did she say that? No. Of course not.

Stammering out the first thing off the top of her mind "I have to use the bathroom." Scrunching her face some in confusion, trying to pull off her lie.

Eyeing her some, he didn't believe her. But if she needed to be away from him he'd give her that. Because in truth he needed to think about what he had just done too.

"Oh, okay." With that he let go of her arm and smiled some. To his surprise she smiled back at him. A small half hearted smile, but a smile nonetheless.

Walking down the stairs he dug in his pocket for his cell. He had to make the call to his friends in LA that his once thought two day trip to Sunnydale was now indefinite.