Notes: Blah blah, disclaimer is on Prologue, nothing new to say. I'm very happy with the reviews thus far. Thanks, y'all make me :) smile. Hope this chapter doesn't disappoint... Took me awhile to get it up, sorry. Next one shouldn't take as long.

Alice (Icy Quackers) rocks my fics- and I love her to death (psh and thanks for you-know-who!). And this story is for my bestest buddy, Danielle.

Did We...?

Talk. That's something they'd been needing to do for quite a while, that's for sure. Angel broke the silence after enough time had passed for the effect to still be there. Just watching those two is probably entertainment enough for an entire lifetime. His eyes slowly and painfully moved up to meet hers. Whatever she was going to say to him now was most probably not going to be remotely good. Buffy always had that condemning look of pain when she was about to say something dramatic, and Angel didn't quite know if he was prepared to defend himself in this situation. Surely she was going to bring up the day that had never happened? It had still been a part of her life, whether she knew of it or not- and that was not going to be a pretty conversation. Angel's train of thought was broken, however, when his eyes ran across her knuckles. "You're hurt..." Angel swallowed as he reached out and grabbed one of her hands, indicating the fading scars caused when she had broken out of her own coffin. Leave it to the broody ensouled vampire to change the subject. How observant he was. Quite the Champion, really.

Standing there, staring at her hands a few moments, Buffy allowed her eyes to glisten slightly with a threat of tears- although she wouldn't allow that threat to win- definitely not here and now. Just the memory of crashing through the splintering wood and clawing her way to the surface with blood, sweat and dirt caked all over her body... the pain was nearly unbearable. For a moment, Buffy wondered what it would have been like and if it would have just been far easier to allow her body to suffocate in the small enclosure and return to peace once more. These thoughts, triggered by his concern, flooded her mind in such a way that the Slayer almost forgot what she was going to say. Almost. Biting her lip, she turned away and let out a shaky breath. "I know..." She paused a moment, still staring at her knuckes. Now it was as if she were re-judging and rethinking what she was about to let escape her lips. "Is there a reason you're trying to avoid hearing me out?" When she received no answer, she knew she felt his eyes still locked on her- waiting for her to continue. Both knew she wasn't done venting yet. She whipped her head back to stare into his eyes, "Know what hurts the most?" Buffy had to fight a lump out of her throat now, "Continuing /living/ with the knowledge They've given me... the future we could have had."

Angel diverted his eyes now, almost embarrassed. Somehow, he'd expected to never have to confront her about any of the details that had happened on that day- and he still actually had no intention of doing so now- if it could be avoided in any way. That didn't mean she wouldn't pry it out of him, however. She proved to be fairly good at that. "You have no idea how hard-"

"How can you say that?" Buffy demanded, cutting in with eyes narrowed now as she shook her head in disbelief. Angel heaved a sigh and bit his bottom lip in contemplation. He should never had voiced those thoughts, she obviously took it the wrong way. Rolling her eyes, she pushed the comment aside for now, continuing on as if he hadn't said a word,"You know, everyone back home doesn't understand why I can't just return home and be happy for once- why I can't even fake a smile across my face. I have to live everyday knowing what I now know, while still managing to live in a world I was supposed to be dead from," She closed her eyes, taking a breath. "Don't talk to me about 'hard' o-or coping... Pain like that just doesn't disappear."

"I know, and it's never going to. You're going to have to accept that fact eventually. Instead of dwelling on the past, just move forward- to a real future. These images the Powers may have fed you- they don't matter." Right, like Angel was really one to talk. Such a hypocrite, he is.

"How dare you act like I'm just going to walk off and forget it all," Buffy glared at him accusingly, swallowing softly. "W-what, you think I enjoy being on the outside looking in?"

"I-it was in your best interest, the key was to keep you safe," Angel attempted to defend himself, though Buffy would have none of it.

Buffy glared, crossing her arms impatiently. She seemed to be demanding an explanation, and she wanted it now. The persistent blonde was not backing down. "Why does everyone I care about seem to think that I always need to be 'protected' or be 'safe?' I'm never safe, I never will be. God, I'd give anything just to be a little bit normal, but I can never have that- ever." She let out a brief chortle and continued, "And when I try, it always turns out to... disappear o-or be taken from me. Ironic, isn't it?"

"Buffy, I need to know exactly what you're talking about," Angel looked at her seriously, his dark eyes were unreadable. He shook his head and continued with a labored sigh, "Because then I-"

"Because then WHAT? You can get away with hiding more from me? Because I can't know the whole truth?" She let out a disapproving snort of his choice of words and actions. Giving him a dark smile, she was only angering herself more, "I haven't suffered enough? Is that what it is? You... You just want to get by with telling me the bare minimum to- to shut me up! You know what? I'm not going to fall for that this time."

"Buffy, please... I just want-"

Buffy rolled her eyes and, in the most mocking of tones she could muster up, she retorted, "Angel, please... I just want the truth. All of it- coming from your lips. I have been more than generous as far as leniency is concerned. I think I deserve that."

"If I hadn't done what I did, you could have been killed... and I couldn't protect you. 'A big darkness was coming,' that's what they said..." Angel muttered, foolishly looking away after realizing how useless of a sacrafice it all seemed now. He figured she'd have a snide response to that one.

At first, it looked like the Slayer was going to break into a fit of hysterics, but she settled for a soft chuckle and shook her head. She had no idea what he was talking about or who 'they' were, but she really did not care. "Played the hero real well, doncha think? Did me alot of good. Cause, you know, I didn't just... die or anything like that. You protected me so well. By great darkness, they didn't mean me jumping into a dimensional portal and dying in the process, now did they? I mean that was dark... a-and because you know me- hate to disappoint."

Angel half smirked in response to her laughter. He wasn't so sure if he should be serious or take her jokingly right now since every step each of them took seemed to be on hot coals. He took a shot anyway. "Yeah... ironic isn't it? Those oracles... they sure have a way with tormenting me." He snickered a bit, "Oh! Next time instead of making me mortal, maybe they'll make me into some divine super-"

"You were human?" Buffy interrupted, her eyes bulging out in disbelief. She was using every ounce of stability she had to keep her jaw from dropping in utter amazement. At least that made a bit more sense as to why everything had well, happened... but he had no idea what she was talking about. She thought for sure he was the solution- the key to everything she didn't understand. Wait, what exactly was he talking about? "Angel?" Her voice cracked as she got quieter, "What are you talking about?"

"I-I thought you said you knew," Angel swallowed. Oh no, this wasn't good. "The day- I uhh... I took back, the one that doesn't exist?" Angel placed a hand on the back of his neck. "Well technically I suppose it existed because I know it did... but it also didn't and that's exactly-" Oh great, and had she not just made him feel guilty about losing any shots she had at a normal life?

"You're telling me there was a day... a whole day that involved us... as in... you and me... that you took back?" She eyed him carefully as if he were some sort of nine-legged toad. Gathering herself together she sighed, somehow remaining strong but speaking slowly, "O-Okay, I thought I'd heard it all, but I guess I was very very wrong. Maybe... there's more we need to talk about than I had thought..."

"Buffy... I-I thought I knew what we were talking about here... I thought that the Powers decided to show you-" Angel shook his head, turning around to look up at the sky and gripping the bridge of his nose in agony. Right, he'd blown it. She hadn't even intended to bring up what had happened, and he had to go and run off his mouth. After a brief pause, Angel added a conclusion flatly, "I don't think there's anything to talk about. Maybe it's best if I..." Yes, that would be a great solution. Run away from the problem at hand- at least he wouldn't have to deal with it then.

"That's it then? You're going to just... walk off on me again?" After receiving no answer from the dark vampire, she nodded dryly, disappointed. "Right, I see. Go on then, get out," Buffy turned her back and crossed her arms, now fighting back a stronger urge to cry where she stood. She didn't expect this conversation to have gone anywhere anyway, but she did not expect Angel to repeat the same mistake he'd made two years ago.Her arm-crossing turned quickly to a desperate hugging of herself as she stared off into the distance.

Perhaps he'd been too harsh on her. She did just come back from the dead, afterall. Besides, he was curious as to what had Buffy so wound up- it looked like she'd been keeping it bottled inside. It had to have been for a good reason, too. Walking up behind her slowly and lifting his arms around hers, he pulled her gently against his chest in an embrace. "Look, Buffy, I'm sorry. It's just- I didn't want... I don't know if I can answer all the questions- I... I'm not so sure I can relive that day over again." Well, sincere as his words may have been, they were still a lie. Poor chap, he relived that day... well, daily. It was part of his routine.

Buffy closed her eyes, allowing the cool breeze to brush past her face and settle her down slightly, but then she felt something wrap around her body. She was actually so focused on the direction of the wind that she tensed and jumped slightly at the touch of his hands. A small smile appeared on her face, and she relaxed against him immediately, just listening to what he had to say. It took her a while to formulate any sort of phrase, since she'd been too busy basking in his arms just like old times. Heh, good 'ole old times. "Angel..." She turned her head to the side and looked up at him, using one of her arms now to cup his cheek and guide his gaze toward hers. Just by staring into his dark eyes, she was able to derive that this was an intense subject for him as well. For that very reason, she didn't want to press too hard for answers. She'd crack him yet, though- she'd have to in order to make sense of everything.

Buffy was going to keep asking questions, that much Angel knew. He also knew there was something deeper that was getting to her, something he couldn't quite put a finger on. Closing his eyes for only a moment, he leaned into her touch and wondered to himself why exactly he'd given it all up again. Right... he had to play the hero. Angel studied her for a while, not saying anything due to the lack of words. There really wasn't anything he could say that he thought would make the situation better in any way. Sometimes silence was the best medicine. It had to have worked, however, because in it only took a few more seconds before he felt Buffy wrap her arms around his neck and brush his lips lightly.

She pulled away slowly and shifted in his arms silently. After awhile of relaxing in his arms, she let out a sigh and looked back up at Angel. "I... I need to know..." It looked as if she were contemplating her next question very carefully. "This day... you say happened... aaand you were human..." letting the last part drift off slightly, Buffy seemed to be waiting for confirmation before she finished her thoughts.

"Yeah... I- I was," Angel replied guiltily, silently wondering where she was going with this.

"Uh...huh," Buffy nodded slightly to herself and kept her eyes focused on his. "So you and me... did we...?"

The pain Angel usually kept hidden inside flashed across his eyes for a split second before he gave her a response to her question- and this time, he didn't lie. He wasn't able to. "We did... More than once, actually."

"...W-well... that explains how she came to be... o-or existed," Buffy looked back at the ground in deep thought, still trying to make sense of all the memories racing through her head. Things she wasn't supposed to remember... This all made too much sense now. Sure, Angel would have to tell her everything about this so-called day she didn't know about, she wasn't going to let him off that easy... but at least another piece fit into the puzzle. Allowing herself to lean into him now, Buffy bit her lip and continued to stare at the ground. That still didn't answer her last few questions, but now they could figure it out... together.

"How who existed?" His voice startled her for a moment, she'd been in such deep thought. It took her a few minutes to process his question, but once she did- she acted almost as if he already knew who she was talking about.

"Kat." When the look of puzzlement failed to disappear from Angel's face, Buffy added a clean-cut explanation to help him out. "...Our daughter."