AN: sorry for the extreme lateness of this, its been crazy I have a few days of high school left (hell yes! Woohoo graduating!) and I got a tattoo, yearbook parties, prom and mah just crazy goodness all around! So sorry for not posting!

CH. 11

Her shower had lasted longer then she'd meant it to, but in all honesty she didn't care much. It had given her the time she needed to think things through and come up with answers for the questions she knew would be coming from Angel.

Toweling her hair dry she opened the door, letting the whoosh of cool air in. Goose bumps prickling her skin from the sudden change in temperature. Im going to miss summer she thought. It wasn't like she'd had been able to have much summer this year seeing how she'd been six feet under its warm sun and beautiful blue skies, but she was still going to miss it.

"Now to face the firing squad," she muttered, tossing her towel on her bedroom floor before trotting down the stairs.

Xander was the first to notice the reappearance of his long time friend. "Hey buffster! We were just debating the fundamental need of Scrappy" wiggling his eyebrows at her.

"Fighting?" Buffy asked, folding her arms across her chest.

"The dog" Dawn nodded, turning her attention back to Xander, "he was unneeded! All he did was charge in and get himself in trouble with that stupid 'puppy power' crap…it was kinda pathetic."

Xander twitches with annoyance. "Gah! He was so much more a group member then Rifraf! At least Scrappy could handle himself and wanted to help! He would do anything for his uncle Scooby, even charge in and fight to the end, he's a loyal pup."

With a raised eyebrow, "talk about yourself much" Dawn snorted.

"This is what you do to amuse yourselves while I'm gone?" Buffy mused.

"Hey I'll have you know we had a very in depth conversation about who could honestly drink diet soda but you didn't come then so its your fault" he nodded with a slight shrug of his shoulders. "So whats happenin? Demons and what not! Lets get the party started!"

"You have too much time on your hands" Dawn said, getting up and leaving the room.

Xander sighs, "Remember when she thought I was cute? Good times they were."

Buffy laughs, taking a seat by him on the couch. "You know we love you Xand." Laying her head on his shoulder, taking comfort in him and their never ending friendship.

"Really Buff, what's wrong you looked frazzled when I came in. Does it have to do with the tall dark and brooding one? 'Cause if so I don't want to say I told you so but-"

"Then don't… plus you would have had to know he was here to say I told you so" she points out.

"Oh contraire, see I can say I told you so any time I want because I haven't trusted him from the beginning" grinning some at his justified reason for I told you so.

"Why is that? Please tell me in your most condescending tone why you don't like the one person who always had my back no questions asked, and did nothing but help and love me more then I could have ever wished." Sitting up looking at him with fire in her eyes. Yes she was mad at him. She was tired of him always downing Angel in one way or another. Who is he to say that, he's never done anything to equal what Angel has! She thought.

Xander was stunned. He hadn't expected her to blow up at him over that. Normally she would just ignore it or just brush it off. He opens his mouth to defend himself only to be interrupted.

"He was always jealous of my looks." Leaning against the doorframe was Angel with a smug look. He hadn't meant to listen to their conversation but once he hard Buffy start to defend him he couldn't stop himself. He wasn't even sure why he had said anything but he did.

Both Buffy and Xander whipped their heads to the intruding voice.

Buffy flushed. She had been so upset she hadn't noticed him come into the room. She was quickly becoming less sure of her rant to Xander the more she looked at Angel. Embarrassment evident in her reddening cheeks.

But a half smile from the man whom she had all the trust in the world from brought back her confidence.

"I love you Xander but if you cant keep your comments about Angel to yourself then I want no part in the conversation." With that she gets up and walks out of the room, not even looking at Angel as she passes him and heads up to her room.