"Angel, after everything you two have been through do you honestly think that Buffy *wouldn't* leap for joy if you asked to enroll in whatever college she goes to after next year?"

"Xander, it's not that simple. I was top of my class in High school, now I can hardly remember the capital of Nicaragua."

"Ah, Belize."

"Managua. The point is, I never graduated."

"So get your good enough diploma after signing in as a Senior when Buffy's a Senior. We've had thirty year olds in class -- and they weren't even teachers."

"I'll talk to her about it."

"Believe me, school one way or another with Buffy -- you'd get double the attention."

"Yeah."

"And you hide the doubt well," Xander blinked. "Okay, usually I don't care about you because you have Buffy, but I'm listening now."

Angel sized the boy up, impressed. "We've gotten closer. Seriously closer, and I'm worried what I'll do to her."

"Hey, since when did this bother you guys? Is it the pesky six year old diff?"

Angel meekly nodded. "She'll care about that yet."

"Bah, look at Donald Trump and all his ten year old boys. This isn't anything worth worrying over."

"What can I say? I'm a worry wart."

"Yeah, well it's not getting you any points in the girl bracket. Look at me, I sound like Cordelia." Too many bouts in the broom closet...

Angel grumbled. "How absent-minded of me."

"Six years Angel. If you guys are still together when she's nineteen, one it won't matter and two...I haven't had ample time to think of two yet but the point is...you guys are in love. So take advantage of it. That's what the good guy friend would say, right?"

"That makes sense. Some people are years apart of each other anyway, right?"

"By decades even. My Mom saw World War II when my dad just kind of skimmed through the ending."

"I saw the uh, Gulf War..."

"Kudos for remembering it."

"Very funny."

"I thought so," Xander smirked. "Hey wait...I was alive then, too huh?" He snapped his fingers, suddenly feeling too old for his britches.

Part Nine

"No, Will, it was just perfect." Buffy said into the phone in her bedroom. She was laying back on her bed while she talked. "I mean...has anyone -- wrong question. Sorry." She listened as her friend asked some more questions, only being able to keep up with the last one.

"Mom says she hasn't seen Angel in forever and therefore he has to come over and eat dinner tonight. I'm kinda wiggy." She sat up, rolling her eyes. "I know, I know...It's just, we might act weird around each other. It'll make Mom suspicious."

"Suspicious of what, Buffy?" Joyce asked from the doorway. "Are you keeping something from me...again?"

"I'll call you back, Will. Yeah, sure, bye." Buffy hung the phone up and looked wearily at her mother. "I, hmm...Joke?"

"Suspicious of a joke," Joyce repeated flatly. "I don't think so."

Buffy raced through all her decent excuses and found nothing helpful. "Why...why, I really don't know. I was just playing around -- that's all. Hey, we need to clean up since Angel's coming over tonight."

Joyce stood firm. "I want to know, Buffy. I'm used to your other secrets and being shut out, but for once, don't make me think I have something else to worry about."

"Okay, well, you might wanna sit down for this."

Joyce grew pale, but sat down next to Buffy on her bed. Buffy debated which two of her secrets she should tell.

"Mom...I'm...uhm..."

"Not a virgin," Joyce filled in abruptly.

"Mom! No! I'm *so* a virgin it's not even -- well in some cases it could be considered funny, but that's not it."

"Then what is it?"

"Okay," Buffy gathered her wits. "It's about Angel. I'm sort of dating him."

Joyce's jaw went slack. "I see."

"Mom, we're not -- if you think -- I mean, we're serious, but..."

Joyce touched Buffy's arm. "As long as you're careful and happy. I don't want us at ends over a b--man. I love you, remember that."

"I guess I should confess something else then. I wasn't at Willow's last night, I was with Angel...just not with-with. It was an amazing night, though."

Joyce grew teary-eyed. "Since when were you so mature? I've been missing out on your growth process."

"Comes with bearing the worlds weight on your shoulders. Atlas-style."

"Why do you say that?"

"That I'll tell you when Angel's here. You might have more of an issue processing that one."

"Buffy, I'm not bothered by it because Hank was seven years older than me. I'm concerned, yes, but I trust Angel. He brought you home to me."

Buffy hugged her Mother tightly. "I trust him too."

"Buffy...when did you start dating?"

"Late Sophomore year. When we moved here."

"You want to tell me how?"

"You remember that night you came in and he was there with me? Tutoring?"

Joyce nodded. "For History."

"Right. Well, he was kind of injured and after you went upstairs I had him stay the night. We kissed and...it was *amazing* as far as maiden kisses go. Anyway, I did the little bit of First Aid, let him rest here and he went out the window after we left for school."

"He didn't..."

"Perfect gentleman."

"Good evening, Ms. Summers," Angel greeted politely at the door.

"Evening, Angel," Joyce gestured for him to enter with a grin.

He smiled broadly at seeing Buffy. She had a playful smile on her face as she approached him. Boosting herself up on her tiptoes, Buffy gave him a sweet welcoming kiss. He seemed surprised to which she giggled and slipped her hand in his.

"She--"

Buffy put a finger to his lips. "Yes, Mom is dinner ready or do we have time to talk about my other secret?"

"It'll be ready in ten minutes, so yes. We can sit in the living room." Joyce guided the couple there where Buffy snuggled up against Angel. Joyce twitched at the affection they were showering on each other, but relaxed at that very fact -- he was returning the affection.

"The secret is about me. I'm what...who ever is up there call the Slayer."

Joyce focused o her daughter carefully. "Come again?"

"It's true, Ms. Summers," Angel put in.

"I have a sacred duty to, I guess the world. That time you came in my room and saw me with my street clothes on? I'd been out slaying. With Angel."

"I see," Joyce said slowly. "What exactly do you slay?"

"Vampires," Buffy replied.

"Demons," Angel added.

Buffy took on an impression of Giles' voice, "And the forces of darkness." She gained a small laugh from Angel and a weirded out look from her Mother.

"Buffy...is this a joke? Because this is ridiculous. Vampires and demons? Look, dinner should be ready now. We're going to eat, Angel will go home afterwards and you and I--"

"Ms. Summers, if I can say something..." Angel interjected, "Your daughter is telling the truth. If it takes a trip to the cemetery to prove it..." "I don't want to hear it," Joyce retorted. "Please, I just want to have--"

From the door came repeated sounds of knocking. Buffy and Angel exchanged a look while she got up to answer it. She stood halfway behind it as she pulled it open and peered outside. There in the doorway was Willow's bruised up and battered form.

"Oh my God..." Buffy gasped, hauling her friend up into a sitting position. She scanned the area for intruders before dragging Willow inside. She moved to the living room and Angel got up from the couch so Buffy could rest Willow there.

"Oh my God, what happened?" Joyce got up and went over to them.

"Is it a vampire?" Angel asked.

Buffy checked for marks. "Probably demon, no holes in the side of her neck. And if it's a demon, it can come through the door."

Buffy raced back to the door to see a man standing there in a long black trenchcoat and platinum blonde hair. She folded her arms across her chest, looking at him in distaste as he was puffing away on a cigarette.

He smiled curtly at her, speaking in a British accent, "Hello, luv."

Part Ten

"Who are you?" Buffy automatically asked the vampire before her. She was in official Slayer mode.

"Not the stake and ask questions later type, eh?"

"You're a vampire."

He feigned a gasp. "No way!" Then he took on a serious expression. "Do you think that makes me a bad person?"

Buffy narrowed her eyes. "What's your name?"

"Ah, ah, now peaches, all will be revealed in time. Just you wait."

"For what?"

Spike gave it some thought. "Well, St. Vigeous I suppose."

"Tell me your name."

"Damnit, stop prying. I'm not telling you--"

"Spike!" A vampire yelled from the driveway.

Spike whipped around furiously and stomped over to the vampire. He grabbed him by the shirt collar and dragged him up off his feet. "Dalton, you idiot! I was geared up for a cryptic, yet fashionably scary entrance into the Slayers' life and you have to go and blow it by saying my damned name! Well, this is perfect..."

"I'm sorry," Dalton whimpered.

From behind, the door slammed shut. Spike glanced back to see this and his anger grew.

"You see tha'? Now I can't even have a stealthy sneak-off-into-the-night exit! Have you no respect for traveling incognito, man?"

"I'm sorry."

"No matter, she's expecting us on St. Vigeous now. At least her Watcher'll figure it out. Let's go plan our real strategy out...and don't you go off telling everybody like the Annoying One. I'd hate to have to kill such a smart bloke like you."

Dalton immediately nodded.

"It's a vampire," Buffy said as she reentered the living room. She was just in time to see Willow waking up. She sprinted the rest of the short distance to the couch, kneeling down next to her. "Willow, what happened?"

"Blonde...vampire...hit me over and over...he told me he needed the Slayer -- you, that he needed help because his family was being hurt...the minute I pointed your house out he knocked me out."

"Spike, the Billy Idol look alike?"

"Yeah, only I didn't know his name was Spike -- he said it was 'William.' How weird are the names going to get around here?"

"He'd be with Drusilla," Angel said mostly to himself.

Willow glanced wryly to Angel. "I guess they could get worse."

"Angel? You know something?"

"Spike...he...he killed my Father."

"I thought you killed the vamp--"

"No, Spike didn't make him."

"Oh. Ohh..."

"I figured the Slayer before you would have taken him out."

"Mhm, Merrick said she died in Cleveland."

"I see. Spike's an old vampire, tomorrow have Giles look up on he and Drusilla."

Willow cleared her throat. "Uh, guys? You do realize Buffy's Mom is in here, right?"

"She knows," Buffy replied.

"Oh, okay," Willow bobbed her head in comprehension. Her Mom knew but didn't really believe. It was only to be expected.

"So everyone's accounted for?" Buffy looked around the library table. Angel was behind her leaning against the bookcase while Xander sat next to Willow with Cordelia across from them.

"Where's Jenny?" Giles questioned. "I spoke to her just last night."

"Did she leave the house?" Buffy asked.

"No, she went straight to bed."

"Are you sure? I mean Ms. Calendar's reasonably young..." Buffy trailed off as Giles shot her a withering look. "She'll be here. Meanwhile, *you* Watcher of mine need to get hot with the research."

"Yes, of course. Spike is it?"

"And Drusilla," Angel added.

"I'll be in the stacks then. You all go on to your classes."

"I'll help you, Giles," Angel offered.

"Thank you, Angel," Giles hurried up the stairs and disappeared into the stacks.

"Buffy," Angel held her back as the others left.

She turned to face her love, eyebrows raised. "Everything okay?"

Angel searched her eyes for a sign he should say what he had. The expectant expression was cue enough. "I wanted to talk to you about school..."

"What about? I mean college is almost two years ago for me, I mean..."

"No, it's not that."

"Then what's it about?"

"I'm thinking of going back to school."

Buffy's already raised brows went even higher. "Oh. Um, I mean -- popular phrase today -- just, wow, school...with me."

"If you...This is really your decision, although I do want to go back...I probably brought it up too soon--"

"No, no!" She calmed him down with a reassuring smile, also helping herself to ease into comfort with the situation. "It's good. Just my head, never knows what to process. I think you going to school with me is good. It should be your decision though, not mine. When?"

"Well, college...I could take the SAT's over and apply wherever you're going."

"I like. And we can dorm up and stuff -- well probably not dorm but apartment up, I guess."

"Yeah."

"We should talk more about this later. Right now I have Math to fry." She tugged him in for a good-bye kiss. "Picking me up from school later?"

"As promised," Angel nodded.

"Good. And date?"

"Also set."

"Can't wait." She kissed him again and scampered out of the library.

"Angel?" Giles called from behind a book case. "Any luck?"

"Oh, uh, yeah Giles..." Angel grabbed a random book off the table and flipped through it. There, by chance, lay a picture of Drusilla. "Here..." He rushed up the stairs to meet Giles at the head of them. "This is what she looks like."

"That's a rather young photograph of her."

"Black and white, nineteenth century."

"Ah, what all does it read?"

"Just what I already know. As a human she had a rare psychic ability that ultimately drove her insane. William the Bloody, or Spike as he's called now, sired her."

"And he was sired by whom?"

"Darla."

"So he is almost two and a half centuries old, with a psychotic psychic vampire a century and some odd years as her partner *and* on the Master's bloodline? I believe the word 'panic' is in order."

"Giles, Buffy killed the Master."

"Yes, but Angel she also died fighting him."

"And how did she come back to us? Xander and I were lucky to get there in time. Strength in numbers, Giles."

"Yes, I suppose you're right."

"Good. Did Buffy tell you about what Spike said to her?"

"What, did she sit down and have a damned tea party with him?"

Angel blinked. "Giles, calm down. She wasn't going to fight him with Willow hurt inside. She said he mentioned St. Vigeous."

"That would be the upcoming vampire holiday, yes," Jenny said from the counter, dropping her purse down upon it.

"Jenny," Giles let his tension dissipate and hurried down the steps to greet her. "You're all right."

"I'm fine. I slept in. Hope I wasn't presumed dead or something."

"Morning, Ms. Calendar," Angel said.

"Hi Angel," she smiled at him briefly and returned her gaze to Giles. "The night of St. Vigeous is this weekend. It's like a vampire crusade -- the Slayer even died during the last one. The town itself she was trying to protect...well, let's just say Pompeii's loss doesn't even begin to compare."

"Pompeii," Angel repeated aloud. "That bad?"

"Left no human neck unchewed," she replied with a sigh.

"We'll have to talk to Buffy about this," Giles grumbled. He didn't like the sound of this at all.

"I'll help her train Giles, tonight after our date."

"That would be most appreciative Angel. As long as you two don't get side tracked."

Angel shook his head. "Never gonna happen."

Part Twelve

"Heeey!" Buffy bounced up into Angel's waiting embrace and showered little kisses over his face. "How was your day?"

"It's been rather dull. Found something about Spike's plans, though. We'll uh, have to train later."

"Sure, if we don't get sidetracked." She nuzzled his nose with hers, giggling.

"Seriously Buffy, this is important."

"Okay, okay. I promise. As long as whatever it is doesn't mess up with my having to host Parent-Teacher night Friday." She wriggled out of his arms and hopped in the car.

Angel blinked, getting into his side. "Parent-Teacher night?"

"Yep, Snyder punishment. Anyway, tomorrow I have flyer making and then Thursday I have poster things and then Friday I make snacks and stuff."

"All after school? That's a bit harsh." Angel started the car and pulled out into the street.

"I guess, not like I don't deserve it."

"I can come by and help."

"Really? You'd do that for me?"

"I'd...well not *love* to but, you know."

She simpered. "Yeah, yeah. But PT Night is Friday, so I won't have to deal with Veggies yet."

"Vigeous," Angel corrected.

"Sorry."

"No big. I should learn these things anyway."

"No, you shouldn't have to."

"Well, it's my sacred duty to learn about Vigeous and Anointed Ones and the bumpy crawlies."

"I know, but you shouldn't have to...regardless of your station."

"Sweet talker," Buffy teased and poked him in the side.

"I'm a glutton for it."

"No harm, no foul. I like sweet talk."

"Won't get out of training without it."

"Looking forward to it," she smiled.

Buffy launched a high kick into Angel's chest, no sooner hopping up off the floor as he tried to sweep her did her other foot come up to knock him in the chin. He fell back but grabbed hold of her feet and she fell to her back, pulling him down with her. He planted his hands down on either side of her and she spread her legs apart slightly, without even realizing.

Tentatively, he kissed her and she responded by wrapping her legs around his waist and pulled him closer. Tongues slipped past their barriers, and the need to be complete overwhelmed them. Her small hands moved to the hem of his shirt, tugging at it while he placed feather light kisses along side her neck. She could barely concentrate even now as she nudged him back to take his shirt off. Afterwards he sat back against the couch, still on the floor, and she sat over his lap in the same straddled position only now she was seated.

Angel's hands swept under her shirt and she shifted slightly so he could pull it over her head. He paused, pressing his forehead to hers while drawing in a deep breath.

"Are you sure?"

Her eyes glimmered. "I'm positive."

"I just don't--"

She silenced him with a kiss.

Xander begrudgingly approached the door to Angel's apartment, muttering to himself.

"Go check on Buffy and Angel, make sure they're really training why don't you," he mocked his own voice. "Does he really have to *ask*?"

He raised a hand to knock when he heard a loud groan come from within. Xander glanced around suspiciously from side to side.

"*Please* tell me that was the ghost next door..."

He fell silent at another moan filtering through the door, this one a bit more audible. "Gee, I don't think that was loud enough for them to hear all the way in Syria!"

So he pounded mercilessly on the door. There was no *way* that should be allowed during training. And it couldn't be legal.

"You guys!" He shouted. "Hey! What's going on in there?"

Part Thirteen

Angel turned over on his back, resting next to Buffy. She snuggled closer to him, smiling broadly. Tilting his head down, he returned the glowing smile and kissed the top of her head.

Then there was that pesky knock on the door.

"That would be um..."

"Bad," Angel finished.

"Yeah."

"I'll get it. I'm pretty sure my pants are gonna be easier to find." He clambered out of bed and glanced back down to Buffy as she curled up under the covers. "I did take them off there, right?"

"Uh huh."

He nodded, going about in his search -- he found them on his lamp. He took them down and put them on quickly.

"Xander," he acknowledged as he opened the door.

"What was going on?" Xander immediately asked.

Angel glanced off to the side. "Training. Buffy was worn out, she's sleeping."

"Since when does *screaming* have anything to do with training?"

"She didn't scream, and I accidentally hit her in the face. That's probably what you heard, I don't see anything risque about it."

"You *hit* her?" Mollified, Xander clenched a fist.

"...Training...she did her fair share of damage to me."

"Right. Giles just wanted me to see if you got side tracked."

"She was tired, and I'm having her stay the night. It's not a problem."

"Dropping her off at school tomorrow morning, I take it?"

"You sound like you're her Father, Xander, calm down."

"Right. I'll get going then -- say hi for me."

"All right. Bye," Angel closed the door in his face, locked it, and went to go slip back into bed with Buffy. He tugged her closer to him, his frustrations with Xander leaving him the minute he felt her next to him. "It was--"

"Xander, yeah, I heard him. It's no big." Buffy rested her head against his chest, sighing contentedly. "This was nice."

"Yes, it was."

"Okay, you now realize that I love you even more, right?"

He grinned at her. "Bet I love you more."

"Oh yeah? Prove it Mister Mush."

His grin turned devious and he rolled atop her, virtually pinning her down under his form. She widened her eyes in surprise.

"Okay, I will."

The following morning, hand-in-hand Buffy and Angel walked into the library. Giles disentangled himself from Jenny and glanced sheepishly to the couple.

"Uh, good morning," he mumbled.

Jenny cleared her throat, feigning a pleasant smile. "Hello."

Buffy wrinkled her nose. " 'Kay, I'm scarred for life."

Giles quickly switched subjects. "How was everything last night?"

Buffy and Angel just looked at each other.

"Oh my God, Will, it was beautiful!" Buffy exclaimed to her best redheaded friend. "I mean, setting aside the fact that it was totally illegal, it was the best night of my life."

Willow stared in awe. "Wow."

"I know, it's so...it's not what I expected. Such an intimate thing, and he shared it with me."

"It was the first time--"

"For the both of us," Buffy finished with a nod. "I just knew in my heart, he was the one -- before we, y'know."

"I'm so happy for -- did you -- were you...safe?" Willow lowered her voice. Buffy looked panicked.

"Oops?"

"Oh no!" Willow instinctively hugged her friend. "It'll be okay, Buffy."

"I should talk to him," her voice was quivering. "About this...after school when he and I are flyer-making."

"Xander and I will be in the library the whole time if things go bad."

"Thanks Will." Buffy shut her locker, nodded bravely to Willow and they went their opposite ways down the hall.
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