A/N: Hey guys! Here we are with another chapter. I'm so glad that all of you seemed to enjoy the last chapter! It was one of my favs. Yes, yes, I know that Angel is being really, really, really stubborn...but he's Angel...that's sort of his thing...

Don't worry though. Buffy's just as stubborn as he is. :D

Okay, so...I have a Psych test today. I'm excited. Today, for that one particular hour, I will be so, ridiculously happy. Really. I can't wait...did my sarcasm come across by chance? ;D

Sooooo...moving on to the chapter...

Random Disclaimer: (I don't own Buffy).

Me: Okay folks, let's begin shall we?

Buffy: As long as I'm done arguing...

Me: (whistles innocently)

Buffy: Oh, come on! Seriously? (sighs) Who am I fighting with now?

Xander: Hey, Buff! Angel gone yet?

Buffy: (glares)

Me: (laughs nervously) Uh...Xander...what are you doing in my disclaimer?

Xander: Because I...well, just because...

Oz: Is it just me, or am I the only one who thinks this is just a little weird? Does this ArthursCamelot even realize we're just fictional characters?

Me: But you're awesome fictional characters.

Giles: (cleans glasses) She does have a point.

Eye of the Beholder Chapter 6

Buffy walked down the sidewalk with her arms crossed over her chest, staring broodingly ahead of her. Such a role reversal, though it did comfort her that she knew Angel was brooding too.

Why did he have to be such an idiot?

Angel was always so self-sacrificing. Always, and Buffy doubted that the fact would ever change. She loved Angel, she really did. She loved everything that he was…even if some things really annoyed her.

Why couldn't he have normal annoying quirks? Like snoring (even if it was impossible).

For a moment, Buffy had been sure that he was going to break up with her. Everything had seemed to be leading up to that point, but Buffy had utterly refused to accept it, so she'd fought back. She knew she shouldn't have told Angel that she and her mom had fought about him, but she couldn't resist that look in his eye that just begged 'trust me.'

Their arguement seemed to still ring in her ears, like it was on replay. How could he think those things? Didn't he realize that the ideal life was totally and completely out of the picture for her? Kids, seriously? Why would she bring a child into her life? It would be too much danger, too much risk. Besides, the only children she would ever have would be Angel's.

Didn't he know that?

Buffy sighed. She didn't know if Angel knew anything at the moment. He was just being such an idiot. A stubborn, self-sacrificing idiot.

And she still loved him.

Buffy walked into her house and immediately went straight toward the stairs, trying to be climb them as silent as possible.

"Buffy Anne Summers!"

Buffy cursed under her breath and turned around to see her mother standing at the base of the stairs, glaring up at her disapproval shining on her face.

"Mom—," Buffy began immediately as she turned around to face her mother.

"No, don't 'mom' me," Joyce interrupted shaking her head.

Buffy closed her mouth and just let her mom talk.

"We were having a discussion—"

Argument, Buffy corrected in her head.

"—And you just stormed out of here without telling me where you were going…"

Except I did.

"—I stayed up all night worrying…"

Guilt washed over Buffy's face, realizing that her mother had a point.

"—And here you are, coming in the house in the middle of the afternoon wearing…" Joyce paused and looked at Buffy closely. "Angel's shirt?" she questioned.

"Yeah, I stole it," Buffy answered with a shrug. "Mine got ruined."

Joyce looked uneasy at this news. She shifted her feet feeling awkward. "Um, h-how exactly did your sweater get ruined?"

Buffy eyes widened. "Mom!" she complained. "Jeez, no! I just ran into a little trouble last night, that's all. Slaying is just a little detrimental to the wardrobe, sometimes," Buffy explained with a dramatic sigh.

"I stayed at Angel's last night because he saved my life, again." Joyce's eyes widened, wondering what happened. "And he patched me up, and then we both fell asleep. I left as soon as I woke up."

Buffy knew she was stretching the truth just a little, but she figured that her mother wouldn't take too kindly to hers and Angel's make out session that morning. And she really didn't even want to think about their fight anymore at the moment.

"Well, um, okay then," Joyce stammered, still trying to come to grips with the events of the past few days. "Mr. Giles called," she explained. "He, uh, wanted to talk to you. Something about a meeting?"

"Where?" Buffy asked.

"His apartment?" Joyce suggested, thinking for a moment. "Yes, that's what he said," she repeated, mostly to herself.

Buffy nodded. "Alrighty," she sighed, turning back to head up stairs to her room.

"Um, Buffy?" Joyce called after her, sounding anxious.

"Yeah, Mom?"

"Would you mind if I came with you?" Joyce asked cautiously. "I just think that as your mother, I need to know more about what you do."

Buffy had to admit that her mother had a point…but still, Buffy didn't know if she wanted her mother to know exactly what all she did. "Uh, sure thing," Buffy finally decided, offering her mom a weak smile.

"Oh, okay, thank you," Joyce returned the smile, awkwardly, still wondering exactly what was going on.

Joyce's life was not what it appeared, and she wanted to set the facts straight in her mind. She'd been lied to for years, and she wasn't happy about it. However, a part of her realized that this was something she would never fully be able to grasp…but she was still willing to try.

Buffy nodded, and turned back up the stairs, quickly disappearing into her room. Quickly, Buffy unbuttoned Angel's shirt, figuring that wearing it to the Scooby meeting wouldn't really help her any.

She folded it carefully and put it in a drawer of her dresser that she saved for pajamas—she really liked sleeping in his shirt.

Buffy was just about to head over to her closet to pick out a new shirt when she realized that she should probably shower. She was still grimy from the day before, and now that she was really moving around, she realized how sore she was.

Buffy stepped into her bathroom and stared at her reflection. Amazingly, from the front, she just looked like she'd had one hell of a day. Except for the wonderfully purple, hand-shaped bruise that wrapped around her forearm…she could even see the outlines of the vamp's fingers.

Buffy took a deep breath and turned her back to the mirror and then looked over her shoulder at the reflection. She cringed. As she'd predicted, she had a large, absolutely hideous bruise that spanned the majority of her back. It was bigger than Alabama. More like Texas-size.

This bruise deserved a long soak in the tub, but Buffy knew she didn't have the time. Instead, she turned the water on in the shower as hot as she could stand and climbed in.

It was a very silent, awkward ride over to Giles' apartment. Joyce was nervous about what she would learn, and Buffy was just nervous in general. What would her Mom think? How would she react? What would the Scoobies think?

As soon as the Jeep was stopped, Buffy was out the door, unable to stand the silent awkwardness any longer. Joyce hurried to keep up with her, but didn't say anything. Buffy knocked on Giles door, and it was almost immediately answered.

"Buffy, we were—," Giles began, but he stopped when he noticed that she was not alone. "Mrs. Summers," he said cautiously. "Um, what brings you here?"

"I know, Mr. Giles," Joyce said flatly, accusing Giles with her eyes. "I know that Buffy's a Slayer."

"Oh," Giles felt the need to clean his glasses, but he resisted the urge. "Well, um, come in then."

Giles stood out of the way, and allowed both Buffy and Joyce to pass through the doorway. "Can I get you anything?" he offered. "Tea?"

"No thank you," Joyce shook her head slightly, looking rather out of place, but no one mentioned it.

"Buffy?" Giles asked.

"No tea for me," Buffy declined, but then thought better of it. "You know what? Scratch that, and get me a cup, please? I'm feeling rebellious."

Giles lips pulled up at the corners in a small, half-smile. "I'll be right back with that," he said before looking at Joyce. "Please, make yourself comfortable."

"Buffy!" Willow smiled brightly, as she came in to the entryway to see what was taking so long. "You're lookin' better."

"A shower does wonders," Buffy returned Willow's smile faintly.

"You look tired though," Willow observed. "Long night?"

Buffy's eyes narrowed slightly, wondering if Willow meant that differently. "You could say that. Went on patrol, dusted some vamps…got a little roughed up in the process, but you know me, I'm tough."

"Uh, Mrs. Summers," Willow said somewhat nervously, belatedly noticing the elder Summers presence. "What brings you here? We were just going to hang out. You know, play some Scrabble…Xander mentioned Twister, but I really don't think we'll play that…"

"She knows Will," Buffy interrupted, stopping the flow of Willow's babble.

"Oh," Willow mimed Giles in her answer to the news. "Okay, then."

"Let's go into the living room, huh?" Buffy suggested, leading the way.

"Hey, Willow, baby—," Oz began as soon as they entered the room, but he stopped as soon as his gaze landed on Joyce. "Whoa, adult-that-is-not-Giles alert."

"It's okay, Oz," Willow smiled slightly, suddenly nervous as she joined her boyfriend on the couch. She took his hand and began fiddling with one of his rings.

Xander and Cordelia entered the apartment then and stopped the moment they saw Joyce. "Hi! Mrs. Summers, how are you?" Xander smiled nervously. "Whatever you're thinking, it's not what's happening."

"You're having a meeting and my daughter's the Slayer," Joyce said quickly and Xander's face showed his shock.

"Oh," he said glancing at Buffy and then quickly away, remembering their last conversation. "Well, in that case, it is what you're thinking."

"Hi," Cordelia said with a little wave. "I'm Cordelia."

"You're friends with Buffy?" Joyce questioned.

"Not really," Buffy and Cordelia both answered in unison, causing both of them to glare at each other.

"Here we are," Giles came in, bearing a tray of tea and cookies.

Buffy immediately grabbed a cup and a cookie and sat down carefully in Giles' recliner. Her Watcher noticed how conscientious of her movements she was being, but did not comment.

"Well," Giles said as he took off his glasses and cleaned them with the hem of his sweater. "Now, that's we're all here…I guess we can just delve right into it then."

"What are we going to do about Angel?" Xander immediately asked, no longer paying attention to the fact that Joyce was there.

"You say that like you have a plan in mind," Giles said slowly, glancing at Buffy who was apparently following his train of thought judging by the glare she was giving Xander.

"Well, we can't just let him frolic about all safe and sound," Xander said frustrated at how only he seemed to realize what all Angel had done.

"Angel has never, nor will he ever frolic," Buffy said, her tone sounding cold even to her own ears. "I don't like what you're suggesting Xander."

"Buff, he's got some weird, funky…" Xander shook his head, thinking. Suddenly, he looked up at Giles, and Buffy could see the light bulb above his head. "Thrall, that's it! Buffy's under Angel's thrall!"

"You have got to be kidding me!" Buffy exclaimed, wide-eyed and furious.

"Why else would you think you love him?" Xander shot back, angrily. "What's to love? He's dead, and let's not forget to mention evil!"

"Angel is not evil," Buffy said lowly, glowering at Xander with such a ferocity that he was immediately silent. Buffy looked around at all of them. "Let me just get this out of the way. I love Angel. And no amount of thrall," Buffy scoffed disdainfully at the word. "Could ever make me feel like I do. If any of you, any of you, try to hurt him, you better be ready to deal with a seriously pissed off Slayer."

Buffy met everyone's eyes, making sure they knew she was serious, though how they could doubt she meant what she said was beyond her. "Capiche?"

"God, Buffy," Xander sighed, shaking his head. "What's going on with you?"

"What's going on with you, Xander?" Willow asked before Buffy could retort, fearing that Buffy might do something other than snap at Xander.

"Sorry, Will, but I just don't get it," Xander shook his head. "It's like none of you remember what he's done! He killed Jenny! He tortured Giles! He stalked Buffy, and tried to kill her more than once! He attacked us all and tried to end the world!"

Joyce's face had gone pale, but no one had noticed.

"And hey, call me crazy, I mean it may just be me, but I don't think that's a real good reason to keep him around!" Xander finished, his breathing slightly heavily as he settled back into his chair.

"Yeah, can we really just forget about the whole murder-stalking-crazy-evilness?" Cordelia questioned, looking nervous about speaking. Her eyes darted to Buffy almost as if she expected the Slayer to attack her.

"D-did Angel really do all of that?" Joyce asked and everyone's eyes darted to her.

"No," Willow shook her head, glancing at Buffy. "It was Angelus. Completely different."

"Will's right," Buffy said firmly. "Angel would never have done any of those things."

"And we never have to worry about Angelus ever again," Willow tried to bring some color back into Joyce's face with good news.

"We still don't know if it worked, Will," Xander interrupted, looking at Giles. "Right, G-man?"

"Well, obviously, Angel has his soul," Giles began, but Cordelia interrupted.

"But none of us have seen him except Buffy," she pointed out.

"How do we know it's not Angelus playing some trick?" Xander asked. "You gotta admit that you might see what you want to see, Buffy."

"He's Angel," Buffy said firmly. "I would know."

"You didn't know at first," Xander argued.

"Because I'd never seen Angelus before," Buffy replied easily, though unable to keep the hardness out of her tone. She was really fed up with Xander. "I think I'd know after everything that's happened if he were Angelus."

"Willow," Giles said slowly, hesitatingly. "I have no doubt that your spell worked in restoring Angel's soul. However, I'm still unsure as to whether it's permanent. Changing a spell like you did is risky."

"I'm telling you guys it worked," Willow said seriously. "I just know it did," she defended and Oz squeezed her hand reassuringly.

"So what do we do?" Oz asked, cautious curiosity slipping by his usually pensive expression.

"Well, Buffy's been expelled," Giles sighed. "But school is out and we can re-enroll her since the murder charge have been dropped."

"Good, cause that was a drag," Buffy sighed, relieved.

"And I guess, we'll, uh, leave Angel be," Giles said before taking a long sip of his tea, wishing it were something stronger.

"That's it?" Xander asked, raising his eyebrows. "We just let him off scot-free?"

"He is not getting out of this scot-free!" Buffy snapped. "He is suffering just like the rest of us, possibly more. He feels so much guilt that I can hardly look at him without flinching. It cuts me to my core to see him in so much pain, and you have the gall to say that you think he's just fine? Just moving on with his life? It doesn't work that way, Xander!" Buffy got to her feet angrily. "And if you can't get over your stupid, childish prejudice then I don't know how you can call yourself my friend! You've hated Angel from the beginning for absolutely no reason other than jealousy, and it stops now!"

"Fine," Xander snapped. "Sorry for just lookin' out for you. Like a friend is supposed to do…"

"He saved my life last night!" Buffy interrupted, as tears sprung into her eyes. "I would have died, but he saved me! Just like he's saved your life more than once!"

"Yeah, but I didn't sleep with him to pay him back!" Xander shot back, angrily.

"Xander!" Willow interrupted, shocked to see her oldest friend acting like he was.

"Dude, calm down," Oz entreated cooly, but with an edge to his voice that no one had ever heard. "This isn't cool, man."

"Oh, come on, guys!" Xander began again, but Giles interrupted.

"Enough!" he yelled. He would not have a shouting match in his home. "That's enough, Xander," he said firmly. "You're Buffy's friend, and you care about her. We know that, and I believe Buffy knows it as well," Giles said, glancing at Buffy whose furious eyes hadn't wavered from Xander. "But you're out of line. A friend supports and respects. Right now, you're failing in both aspects."

Xander looked appropriately chastened for a moment, before shaking his head and getting to his feet. "You know I love ya Buffster," Xander said quietly. "And I'm sorry if I'm hurting you, but I just can't change how I feel about him." He looked back at Cordelia. "You coming?"

Xander didn't even wait for her to answer before marching out of the apartment. Cordy glanced from Xander to everyone else in the room, biting her lip. She didn't necessarily agree with Xander, though she did believe some of what he'd said. She was still terrified of Angel, and she knew her nightmares would still plague her for weeks to come…she got up and followed Xander out the door.

Everyone was quiet for a moment, before Joyce found her voice. "Do these meetings always go like this?"

"No," everyone answered at the same time.

"Usually there's jokes," Willow offered.

"And pizza," Oz added.

"And lots of old books," Giles couldn't help but add to the conversation.

"Well," Willow said as she sensed that she and Oz needed to skedaddle. "This has been…" Willow began, but shook her head. "Uh, me and Oz are just going to go."

"Yeah," Oz agreed as he got up, offering Willow a hand.

"See ya, Buffy," Willow smiled as she gave Buffy a hug, not seeing her friend fight back a wince as she unknowingly caused her back to throb painfully.

"Bye Wills," Buffy whispered. "And thanks. You know, for being on my side."

"I'm always on your side, Buffy," Willow smiled faintly. "It's a best friend's duty that I take very seriously."

"And I'm with her," Oz smiled slightly, before sobering. "I know what it's like to have a—wild side," he euphemized. "Angel's a pretty okay guy for a vamp…" Oz suddenly became deadly serious as he added. "Of course, Angelus…well, if I ever see him again I'll rip his throat out."

Buffy glanced at Willow, knowing the reason for Oz's threat. She couldn't help but nod in understanding. She knew how much Oz loved Willow. She couldn't hold it against him.

"Noted," she nodded, slightly.

"Okay," Willow said slowly, dragging out the word. "We'll be going."

Buffy watched as Willow and Oz left the apartment. When she heard the door shut, she finally turned around to see that Giles and her Mom were in a sort of standoff.

"Mrs. Summers," Giles said seriously. "You must understand why you had no knowledge of Buffy's Calling. It's not only against the rules, but it would also make you a target. You would give Buffy a weakness that demons could exploit in order to get to her."

"Yes," Joyce agreed, seeing his logic. "I can understand that…but I don't like being lied to."

"I'm sorry, but it had to be done," Giles replied. "However, now that you know, I suppose you will want to know more about Buffy's Slaying?"

"She told me most of it," Joyce said, glancing at Buffy who was looking back and forth between both of them. "I think."

"You know the gist of it," Buffy conceded. "Little details are really pointless. There's lots of big bads out there. It's a lot of names to remember."

"You're her Watcher?" Joyce asked, and Giles nodded. "Buffy says you're like Yoda."

Giles sent an amused, yet exasperated look at his charge. "Although I am not a short, green being, and do not often speak in inverted syntax, yes, I suppose that is a valid metaphor."

"Is what Xander said true?" Joyce asked nervously. "Did Angel…did he really…"

"No," Giles shook his head. "Angelus was the one who—," he trailed off uncertainly, glancing at Buffy who was wearing such a guilty look that it made his heart break. Giles couldn't separate Angel from Angelus. Logically, he knew that they were two distinct and different entities. But Giles knew it would be a long time before his emotions caught up to his brain. However, Giles couldn't add to Buffy's guilt.

"Angel is completely innocent," Giles stated. "It was not him who...did what he did."

"I understand," Joyce said quickly, not wanting to hear any more.

"I spent the night at Angel's apartment," Buffy told Giles, who looked at her seriously. "We didn't do anything," Buffy said quickly. "I got hurt on patrol and Angel saved me, but—I was unconscious and he took care of me and we fell asleep. Giles, I know that he's really Angel," Buffy said adamantly, not wanting Xander to plant a seed of doubt in Giles' mind.

"I believe you," Giles said softly, and Buffy hadn't heard kinder words all day.

Whew, Scooby meeting on fire. Xander will be a complete jerk for a while, if you haven't already picked up on that. It was soooo weird writing all the Scoobies together like that. I hadn't done that since Two Sides! And I had to make everyone all angsty and irrational...(shudders)... ;D

Review and make my day,

ArthursCamelot