"Wills," Buffy greeted after the redhead picked up the phone.

"Buffy, oh hey," Willow responded brightly. "How did it go?"

"Where to begin," she murmured as she dropped back on the bed with a sigh.

"Were they angry about the cars?"

"You know, they didn't really mention it." The blonde stared thoughtfully up at the ceiling.

"Well, that's good then, right?"

"Yeah," she agreed before going silent. "Um... Wills... vampires are the same as us aren't they? I mean, I know there are hybrids, so we have to reproduce the same way, right?"

"Basically yeah," Willow answered and Buffy sighed impatiently. She couldn't see any reason to beat around the bush.

"Their girls have periods right?"

"Oh... no I don't think so," Willow broke in happy that she could help. "I was watching a show on that, and when a female wants to become pregnant, she bites the male during sex and nearly drains him. The infusion of blood makes it possible for her to conceive and carry a baby to term."

Buffy blinked as she stared at the ceiling incredulously. "She nearly drains him?"

"Yeah. I mean, it's a little dangerous for the men but I guess they rarely die from it."

The thought of Spike and Parker being drained gave Buffy a slow satisfied smirk. Angel came to mind and her smirk slowly faded. Glancing out the window, she shook away the thoughts and sighed. The information was interesting but it still left her with a monthly problem, and now that she thought about it in more detail, her face turned red at the implications.

"Buffy?"

"Yeah?" she answered absently.

"Are you okay?"

"Oh um... yeah. I'm good."


Tuesday Night:

Andrew pulled the book on robotics off the shelf before nearly dropping it as he noticed the larger vampire behind him. "Angel... you're here early." His eyes narrowed suspiciously. "What do you want?"

"Just information," he murmured casually as he glanced at the book Andrew was holding without interest.

"Let me guess... you want to copy my homework?" Andrew sighed dramatically. "Which subject?"

"Human."

"Human?" Andrew's eyes narrowed. "Why?"

Angel took a step closer. "Now I know you're smarter than that. So why don't you just tell me what I want to know, and I'll let you get back to your studies."

Andrew took a step back. "You can't make me."

"Oh?" Angel grabbed the front of his shirt and hauled him closer. "Keep telling yourself that."

Andrew met his eyes defiantly for a few seconds before scowling. "Alright. What do you want to know?"

"You told Buffy she'd give blood once a month." He leaned closer and tightened his grip on the other boys' shirt. "What did you mean?"

"If a human female isn't pregnant she bleeds for a few days a month."

"Bleeds?"

"Yeah." Andrew's eyes darkened, and he looked at Angel as if he was imparting a confidence. "They bleed *down there*," he stressed. "You know, where babies come out."

Angel looked at him with disbelief and unconsciously loosened his grip on the geek's shirt. "You... you said they can't breathe when having sex," he murmured as he looked at Andrew curiously.

Andrew shrugged. "That, and the fact they like to be touched all over," he stressed, "came from reading."

"Reading?"

"Yeah." He rolled his eyes, "Some of us do that you know."

Angel snorted before adjusting his hold on Andrew's shirt. "I meant, what's the book's title?"

"Just... human romance novels for that stuff. The bleeding information came from the internet."

"Human... romance novels," Angel asked as he eyed Andrew oddly, his lip curling slightly with distaste.

"Well yeah. We don't *read* them," he snapped. "Just certain pages, where the good stuff is."

Angel rolled his eyes before releasing him. "Alright Andrew, that was what I wanted to know. Now I've got two bits of advice for you. First, I don't want you or your friends telling anyone about humans... and second," he reached out to straighten Andrew's shirt, "Buffy's not available. I strongly advise you, or your friends, to leave her alone."

"That's not your decision," Andrew huffed.

"Oh, but it is," Angel bit out menacingly as he took a step forward. "Buffy's my responsibility, and that means what happens to her is my business," he paused and gave a slow smirk. "And if you don't like it, why not talk to Flutie? I'm sure he'd love to know about your interest in her."

Andrew scowled before turning to leave, and Angel watched thoughtfully, the geeky senior already forgotten as he turned his thoughts to what Andrew had said.


Buffy frowned as she pulled into the Blood Sucker's parking lot on Monday night. She'd hoped to beat the rain to school but it had started pouring about three minutes ago, and she looked down at her knit sweater before sighing and turning her attention to the passenger seat. Her gym bag and Angel's coat laid there innocently, and she rolled her eyes at her reluctance to wear a Blood Sucker coat into the Blood Sucker's school. There really wasn't much choice though, and she pulled the heavy coat on and grabbed her gym bag and science book before making a run for the door, and the dark figure standing under the overhang waiting for her.

"Hey," Angel greeted, his eyes glittering with interest at the sight of her *again* in his coat. He smiled smugly. "You should have gotten here earlier and you would have beat the storm."

"Yeah," she muttered as she ran a hand through damp hair. "I really love spending time at school." She hesitated before glancing up. "Um... your coat. I was going to bring it back to you yesterday and forgot... You know," the blonde started quietly as she remembered grabbing the keys from her mom before bolting out the door, "since yesterday was so much fun and all."

"It's fine," he murmured. "It looks good on you."

She looked into his bright chocolate eyes before looking away and concentrating on wiping the drops of rain off her science book. "Well I didn't want you to think I was keeping it."

"I guess it is a little large," he teased lightly, "but it looks good on you anyway. You can keep it for a while if you want."

She looked up with surprise before reaching up to press her palm against his forehead. "Are you feeling okay? Because I'd swear there's something wrong with you."

Angel didn't move a muscle as her warm hand pressed against him. "I'm fine Buffy," he answered as he looked at her searchingly. She pulled her hand away, and he sighed with disappointment and looked at his watch. "Well... Are you ready for the fun and excitement that is science?"

"No. But I don't think Snyder's going to give me a choice," she grumbled and watched as he opened the door and motioned her in first.

He smiled at her response as they walked into the hall. "I'm sorry."

She cocked her head. "For me having to go to Science?"

"For the dance. I know you don't want us there."

"You got that right," she agreed as she started down the hall and felt the weight of his coat shift over her.

He smirked before grinning and giving a shake of his head. "You remind me of Cordelia."

"That," she turned to ram a finger into his chest as she looked into chocolate eyes, "is not funny."

He laughed. "But true. You should have seen her when we found out we were going to share our school."

"And you were happy about it I suppose?"

"No. But I had an excuse," he stated with a smile. "I didn't know what I was missing."


"Alright class," Mr. Rollens looked over his students as they quieted and turned their attention to him. "We've got a film to watch today." The teacher moved to the blackboard and pulled down the white screen from its attached cylinder before moving to flip off the lights. "There's going to be a short quiz afterward, so you might want to pay attention." He made his way to the back of the room where the projector was already set up.

A click sounded, and the screen lit up with flashes of dark shapes and white light before settling into a documentary that would bore them for the next thirty minutes. Buffy scowled as she settled back in her chair and listened to the monotonous voice of the commentator as the screen showed various outdoor settings before moving into a lab.

"Hey," Harmony's voice cut through the room accompanied by the scrape of a chair. "Who did that?"

Buffy grinned and continued to stare at the screen as quiet laughter filled the room.

"Knock it off," Mr. Rollens warned at the same time Angel shifted in his chair, his leg accidentally brushing hers in a casual caress that had Buffy's heart speeding up. Without missing a beat he continued the movement until he wasn't against her anymore. Gods, Buffy thought as she glanced sideways at him, he was a vampire and an annoying one at that. She shook her head and turned back to the screen. His being annoying wasn't a turn off if she was going to be honest, but Riley hadn't been too far off the mark when he'd compared vampires to rabid animals. She scowled before rolling her eyes and turning her attention back to the screen.

Angel glanced at her curiously as she watched the film. Her heart rate had increased when his leg had brushed against hers. He wasn't sure what it meant, but given Andrew's words earlier, he didn't think it was a bad sign. Giving a small grin, he turned his attention back to the movie.


Riley and Xander slid their damp coats off after entering the empty gym before dropping them on the bleachers. "Do you think we should go to the science room?" Xander asked.

"We could," Riley answered, "but chances are class will be out before we get there." He glanced at his watch. "Snyder said to be here at nine didn't he?"

"Yeah." The bell rang and they exchanged looks as the halls filled with students. "I guess we can just wait here for her," Xander murmured as he dropped onto the bleachers with resignation.

"Well well well..." Spike walked into the room, "I'm impressed you guys actually showed up."

"And I'm impressed you're actually smart enough to attend school," Xander bit out.

Spike pressed a hand to his chest before looking up with a cool smirk. "Tell me Xander, why exactly was Buffy flunking out of gym again? I mean, I know she doesn't have any coordination, speed, or stamina, but neither do you. So that begs the question of..." he broke off as the gym doors opened once more to admit Flutie and Snyder. All three high schoolers scowled as the two principals moved into a corner to talk quietly.

The door opened one more time, and they all looked over to see Harmony and Cordelia enter. "The first thing we should do is pick out a band," Cordelia stated as she started toward the bleachers, "and then get to the refreshments, and set the time."

"Ms. Chase," Flutie drew their attention, and Cordelia crossed her arms and shot him a scowl. "First of all, this is a closed meeting, meaning only the six of you may attend. And second, you are not planning a dance, you are discussing such things as refreshments and perhaps ways to make sure everything goes smoothly so there will be no altercations between students."

"It shouldn't be a problem," Angel spoke up from where he and Buffy had just entered. "I mean, if it was the Freaky Fangs it would be different, but as far as I know, there are no feuds between us and the Slayers."

"Ah... Mr. McCormick, Ms. Summers," Flutie greeted. "I believe we can begin then?"

He turned to Snyder, who nodded his agreement as he watched a sulking Harmony pass by Buffy and Angel as she was leaving. "I believe we can."

Buffy looked at her principal with a frown. She hadn't expected him to be at the meeting, but she pushed the disappointment aside as she sat down beside Xander and Riley before absently noticing their damp jeans and hair. So it was still raining out, and she didn't have a coat... Unable to help herself, her gaze drifted to Angel who had sat down in the ten foot space between Riley and Spike. A moment later, she looked up as Flutie and Snyder walked over to stand in front of the bleachers.

"There's been a recent development in regards to the Spring Fling," Flutie stated pleasantly as he looked at the six students. "Mr. Snyder and myself were contacted earlier today by Vamp tv... It seems they've heard about Ms. Summers attending our classes and are interested in doing a segment on our town and the Slayer's integration into our school."

"And as such," Snyder spoke up, "Mr. Flutie and I took the opportunity to invite them to the dance."

"You invited a camera crew to the Spring Fling?" Xander asked as he stared at his principal as if he was some sort of bug.

"Yes," Snyder answered as he returned the stare before turning to look at Cordelia, Spike, and Angel. "I believe most of you know about the town council's interest in an environmental dome? Well, it's a humbling experience to know that *we* could influence whether we receive one or not."

"You believe the dance could impact that?" Angel asked with interest.

"We're not the first community to combine a single school for the use of both humans and vampires, Mr. McCormick," Flutie answered, "but we are the first to have a human attend classes with vampires." He looked at Buffy with a smile. "From what I understand, Ms. Summer's bravery, along with Sunnydale's long standing interest in a dome, is making the Vamp Human Alliance take a much closer look at granting our request."

"So the Alliance is considering giving us a dome for being nice to Buffy," Cordelia summed it up, "and our dance is going to be televised." She hesitated thoughtfully before adding, "It just makes it more important to have a decent band, location, and banners. I mean, do you know how bad it'll look to the VHA if we go on television looking like losers?"

"Excuse me?" Buffy asked indignantly. "Just what's that supposed to mean?"

"Only that..."

"Ms. Chase," Flutie cut her off with a sharp look. "I believe the Slayers have taken care of those aspects of the dance, and I'm sure it was done tastefully." Cordelia scowled, and Flutie turned to look at the 3 Slayers. "The only changes as far as I can see would be refreshments for our students. Perhaps a table could be set up for them?"

"Yeah," Xander answered with a frown. "I guess we could set up a blood table."

"Thank you, Mr. Harris," Snyder spoke up with a glare. "However I believe you can also add the Blood Sucker's colors, as well as their logo for the cameras... and I think a dance that starts at 8 might be a bit early for them... perhaps it could start at 10:00 instead?"

"Fine," Buffy agreed with resignation. "But I don't know where to buy catering for vampires."

"Maybe you could look in the yellow pages?" Snyder advised.

"We'll take care of our own refreshments," Angel broke in. "We get a discount if we buy through Blood N More." He glanced at Buffy, and when their eyes locked, he smiled.

"And I'm certain the Slayer's senior class can find the money to reimburse you since they benefited from your kindness," Snyder coolly informed.

"So you just want a later starting time, a refreshment table, and your logo and colors?" Riley asked as he looked at the other teenagers warily.

"Sounds like it," Spike spoke up as he shot him a hard look.


"Buffy."

She glanced back at Angel as he moved quickly through the hall toward her. "It's still raining," he stated as he came up beside her and offered his coat, the one that he must have run to his locker to get. "I know you didn't bring one with you, so why don't you use mine?"

She looked at him uncertainly before Xander snorted. "She can use mine."

"But you'd get wet," she murmured as she glanced at Xander before turning back to look at Angel and reach for his coat. "And so will you," she grinned, "if it's still raining when school lets out."

He grinned back. "Nah... I'll just take Spike's."

Riley glanced between them before shifting between them. "Thanks," he looked at Angel challengingly. "But you know... we were just leaving."

Angel nodded before motioning to the door. "Sure. You've got to be here at what... eight in the morning?" He smirked as Buffy shot him a glare before sliding into his coat.

"You just had to bring that up didn't you?"

His smile widened as he watched her leave before he sighed and headed for algebra.