Three weeks later, a few days after Angel's twenty-second birthday, Buffy pulled Angel on top of her on his bed. He broke off the kiss, sensing where this was going. "Buffy –"

She cut him off. "I want to Angel, I'm just afraid that…that you won't want to be with me after. I mean, what if I'm not good?"

Angel rolled them on to their sides and kissed her tenderly. "Buffy, I love you. And not be good? That's impossible." She opened her mouth again to argue but he kissed her.

When they broke off she pulled his top up over his head and moved her hands to his waistband. He stopped her and kissed her fingers. "Buffy, if you're not –"

She shook her head. "I am. I love you, I want to be with you." He relented and nodded, rolling her on to her back and letting his lips move to her neck.

"Let's just take this slow, okay?"

When Buffy woke up a few of hours later she kept her eyes closed, a smile on her face. It had still hurt, like before, but only for a few seconds. After that, definitely of the good. Both times. She opened her eyes and was relieved to find Angel propped up on an elbow, smiling down at her. He gently kissed her nose and she looked at him, worried. "Was it…I mean was I…?"

He rubbed her nose with his. "You were perfect. Buffy any time I spend with you is completely amazing, whether we're watching a movie, talking or making love…multiple times." She blushed, embarrassed at his last words.

The door bell rang and he placed a last kiss on her lips before pulling on some sweats and a sweater and moving to answer the door. From the bedroom, Buffy could hear a soft, sultry voice and she realised she was wrong. That was another thing she could remember about Darla. Her fists tightened angrily when she had an idea. Probably a very stupid idea, but she didn't care. Slipping out of bed, she grabbed one of Angel's shirts, shrugged it on and padded out into the hallway.

She spotted 'the cow' and glared angrily before coming into Angel and Darla's line of sight. His mouth practically dropped open when he saw her standing there, possibly looking sexier than she ever had done before, in one of his shirts, and Darla's reaction was pretty much the same. "Buffy Summers. Well Angel, I didn't know you were seeing high school girls now."

Buffy walked up behind Angel, wrapping her arms around his waist and standing on her tip-toes to kiss the nape of his neck. "Not high school girls. Just me."

Darla rolled her eyes and swiftly left. Angel turned around, his eyes worried. "Why did you do that? She knows Spike, Buffy. She's probably on her way there now."

Buffy on the other hand didn't look in the least bit worried. "I was marking my territory. And don't worry about it." She began to press wet, hot kisses on his neck and he felt his resolve waver. Eventually, after much stuttering, he groaned, picked her up and carried her to the bedroom.

The lovers were lying in bed an hour later, pressed tightly together, sharing kisses and talking about the future when Spike burst into the bedroom. Buffy gasped and pulled the sheets higher up her body while Angel slid out of bed and pulled his sweats back on. Spike had him up against the wall just seconds later while Buffy crawled across the bed, shouting at him to stop. He just ignored her.

"How long have you been doing her for? Eh? Answer me!! How could you? Taking advantage of her?! She's like my baby sister Angel, hell she's like your baby sister! She's four years younger than you!"

Buffy stood up, the sheet wrapped tightly around her. "And SHE is standing right here." She prised Spike off Angel and stood in between them, her eyes narrowed at him.

"What did he tell you Buffy? That you were beautiful? That you were his world? What did he say to get you in to bed?!" Angel placed his hands on Buffy's shoulders now, his eyes blazing.

"Don't speak to her like that! You have no idea what this is about."

Spike returned his glare. "Enlighten me."

Angel moved his hands down to her waist and looked seriously at Spike. "I love her. I'm in love with her, damnit. I have been for months. We tried to stop but we can't."

Spike snorted. "First Parker and now you. You know what she's been through but you still did it? Buffy, you don't know what he's really like. He –"

"Slept with your girlfriend the day you broke up with her? Yeah I know. I know all about it. He told me everything. And I've moved past it. I love him too Spike, and you can't stop us from being together. And if you must know, he didn't push me into anything. Besides, it's none of your business."

Spike exploded. "Like hell it's not! He promised to take care of you!"

"And he does. He always has done. Does it matter if he does that as my friend or my boyfriend? I know about his past, I know about Darla and Drusilla and all the other girls. I also know he's never been anything more than loving and caring to me. He never used me or forced me into anything. He loves me and I love him. I won't let you ruin that Spike. You need to move past what happened with Drusilla and be happy for us. Besides, I know you and Faith have been together for longer than we have so don't you dare play the age card."

Spike started spluttering loudly. "Oh please. You may be able to keep a secret but Faith definitely can't. Surely you knew that when you started dating her? I know you've been at it like rabbits too, even if it wasn't for Faith's juicy little stories. Your room is right next door to mine, you think I can really sleep through all that? You are so lucky Mom sleeps like the dead." Spike went bright red, a great contrast to his white hair and looked between Buffy and Angel before storming out of the apartment.

Angel couldn't help but grin down at her despite the seriousness of the situation. "Spike and Faith? How come you never told me?"

She looked slightly embarrassed, then grinned. "Because I wasn't sure it was true. I was right, Faith can't keep other people's secrets, but she's damn good at keeping her own. She won't tell us anything about her past. But they've both been happier lately, and they've been sharing those secretive looks since before we got together. And I have heard Spike and someone in his bedroom at night. It was just guess work that made me say Faith." Angel wrapped his arms around her and kissed her forehead.

She relaxed against him, squeezing him tighter. "It's gonna be alright. He'll come round. He left because he knew he couldn't say anything else. And I know mom's gonna be fine about it. She loves you." She pulled away and began to get dressed, then pressed a long, hard kiss to his lips. "I love you. I'd better go and find Spike."

"Will you be alright talking to him on your own?"

She just snorted. "He's a big softie really." She wrapped her arms around his neck again and kissed him. "Today was perfect, thank you."

He grinned down at her. "Even with Darla and Spike?"

She smiled up at him. "Even with the slut and Spike." He pressed his lips to hers, then let her go, unable to stop a small smile from rising to his lips. He found himself believing Buffy and not worrying about Spike. They could deal with him. They were in love and he'd just spent practically the whole day making love to her. She was right, it was perfect.