Buffy slowly entered the mansion. She stepped up to a large tapestry,she could hear Angel on the other side. He was pacing back and forth slowly,quietly. He stopped suddenly.He had on a brown shirt unbuttoned,he stepped over to the tapestry ready to fight. He pulled it open quickly, Buffy jumped.
"It's just me,"she entered the room. She was carrying a cup filled with blood. "Here," she said handing it to him."How are you doing?" he turned his back to her,he didn't want her to see him drinking blood. He raised the cup to his mouth.
"It hurts..less." He said quietly. Buffy nodded.
"That's good." he turned back around to look at her. Then turned hisback to her again. "I haven't told Giles or anyone about this."
"Giles?" he asked quietly,remembering what he did. He sadly looked at his cup.
"I'm not going to tell them. They won't understand that you've changed. Angel,I've changed. I'm doing better in school,and I'm with someone else." Angel quickly turned around,looking deeply sad and hurt. The confusion showing on his face. "His name is Scott. I can count on him to be there. He's normal. He makes me happy,which is what I need." Angel slowly raised his arm like he was going to touch her face,but he lowered it to her jacket and fixed the collar."Thanks,"Buffy said stepping away from him. Angel nodded,the cup of blood was nearly gone.
"I...I..want you to be happy,its just..." he trailed off.
"You wanted to be the one who made me happy?" she offered. Angel looked up sadly.
"Yeah I guess so. It's just months ago I made you happy,you made me happy. Now..." he trailed off again.
"Everything is changed?"she offered again."Maybe it means we weren't meant to be?" Angel slowly raised his head
"Yeah,maybe we weren't. But how do you explain this. After everything, we are left alone, in a room together." He took a step closer to her. He was standing directly in front of her.
"I can't explain it, Angel. But this can't ever be anything." Angel dipped his head down,Buffy raised hers. Their lips met gently at first,then with increasing passion. He wrapped his arms around her holding her closer. She put her hand on his neck,pulling him closer. A few minutes later,they pulled away breathless.
"Deja vu," he whispered. Buffy nodded,smiling.
"Our second kiss," she said."at the Bronze." he slowly dropped his hands from around her waist. He grabbed her left hand.
"Your ring?" he whispered. Buffy looked in his eyes.
"I took it off when I first learned you had changed. I couldn't look at it." she pulled her hand away slowly.
"I knew you'd taken it off, I found it here when I fell." he walked to the other side and took the ring down from a statue."I want you to keep it. Put it somewhere,where you don't have to see it. But at least keep it. You need to know I did,do love you." he took Buffy's hand and dropped the ring in her open palm. She slowly closed her fingers around it. She stared at her closed fist. A few tears trickled down her cheeks. "Buffy! What's wrong?" Angel asked his voice full of concern.
"Nothing, I was just thinking," she quickly wiped the tears away. She sighed deeply. "Anyways! I should be." Angel interrupted her.
"I remember when I gave you that ring. The Judge was in town.It was your birthday present."
"Yeah it sure was a surprise. It was also the first time you said you loved me," More tears began to flow.
"I remember, Buffy. I said some really horrible things the next day. That wasn't me Buffy." Buffy turned away. Angel came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. He leaned his head onto her shoulder and whispered in her ear."Buffy that was the greatest night of my life.It was perfect."Buffy who was rigid, slowly leaned on him. The tears ran freely now. She wasn't even trying to stop them. She turned around still in his arms, he gently hugged her. Rubbing her hair as she clenched her hands on his shirt, and buried her head in his chest and cried. "Shh, Buffy, Shhh. I love you so much. I'd never hurt you!" she looked up, her eyes and face wet with tears.
"I love you so much,Angel. I needed you so much these last few months. I was so scared that you'd hate me for killing you!"
"I could never hate you Buffy. If anything you should be the one who hates me!"Buffy laughed. "Now this Scott guy?" Buffy laughed again. She pulled away and unclenched her fist. Angel took the ring and slid it onto her finger.
"Totally dumped. Now Giles and the Scooby Gang?"
"You can tell them,but I..I can't see them. At least not now."Buffy nodded that she understood.
"Drusilla killed Kendra. So there is a new slayer. Her name is Faith. Really weird,has some issues. She knows about our past. She'd like you,"
"If they really want to see me,then bring them. But don't make them"
"Listen, I have to get to school. I'll try to be here after training." She stood on tiptoes and kissed Angel gently. "Bye." Angel stood in the middle of the room,and looked at his ring. He smiled and walked out of the room.

After school Buffy went to the library like always. She opened the double doors and stepped inside. Giles was standing on the upper level looking through big dusty volumes.
"Hey Giles!" she said happily.
"Your in a rather good mood," he said absently,he was still riffling throught the book.
"I am Giles. The best in a long while." she put her book bag on the table and ran up the stairs. Giles tried to quickly put the book away, Buffy noticed this and grabbed the heavy book off the shelf.
"Giles! Hiding stuff from me!" she admonished. She looked down at the cover."The Demon Acathla?" she read confused. "Giles, why do you have this out?" Giles pulled off his glasses.
"Buffy, the other day when I caught you with the book. You said you had a dream about Angel returning. Most of your dreams are prophecies. I was just making sure this one wouldn't come true."
"Why wouldn't you want this one to come true?" Buffy asked trying to be nonchalant. She idly flipped through the book.
"When things exit from a vortex they come back changed,disturbed."
"What if he came back disturbed but somehow he managed to find himself?"
"Its highly unlikely that would ever happen. Plus the guilt would be too much for him. If being in the vortex didn't ruin him, then his guilt would."
"What if he could overcome all that. He has before," Buffy set the book on the shelf. "Angel is a very strong person,Giles. I know him better then anyone. I know he could overcome this."
"Buffy, I believe you don't know him as well as you want to think you do."
"Try me," Buffy asked walking down the stairs.
"Ok,um, well. What did he do when he turned good the first time?" Buffy smiled.
"Giles please! He came to Manhatten and met the Whistler. Angel saw me and decided to watch over me to see if I did a good job. Next!"
"You know about that?" Giles asked sounding amazed.
"Angel and I don't smooch the whole time, Giles. We talk...a lot." Buffy said folding her arms over her chest.
"Don't you ever wonder what he wasn't telling you?"
"I trust him Giles. Whatever he wasn't telling me he had to have had a good reason."
"Do you know that Angel used to come over and talk to me,and he'd tell me not to tell you about it?"
"He never told me that."
"He came over and he said he couldn't see you. I thought it was poetic,you two being in love with eachother.Now I find it rather disgusting...Oh god Buffy sorry!" Giles said realizing his error.
"Giles,I'm so sorry to disappoint and disgust you, next time I'll check in with you before falling in love!" Buffy snidely remarked.
"I didn't mean it like that." Buffy walked to the table and slung her bookbag on.
"Yes, you did Giles." she turned and walked away, walking past Giles.
"Training tonite?" Buffy nodded without a word. Willow came in at that exact moment.
"Hi Buffy!" she said brightly.Buffy walked past her without seeing her, she was looking at her hand. Willow noticed she had the claddagh ring on
"What's wrong with her?" Willow asked Giles. Giles looked down at the desk.
"I said a lot of things, I shouldn't have."
"I'm going to go see if she's ok." Willow entered the hallway and didn't see Buffy anywhere's. She started down the hallway, towards her locker,when she spotted Xander and Cordelia. Willow needed to talk to them, but because of the stuff happening between Xander and her, she decided against it. She turned to walk away when she heard Cordy.
"Willow, hi!" Willow turned and plastered a fake smile on. Her eyes shot up to Xander's briefly. Xander was amazed by her. He wondered how he couldn't have seen how beautiful and amazing Willow was.
"Xander," she said akwardly.
"Willow," he said exactly like her. He fidgeted with his bookbag.
"Listen somethings wrong with Buffy. Giles said something and she blew up and left. She has Angel's ring on,"
"Really? Giles must have done something awful. She barely gets mad at Giles." Cordy said.
"Her mom called the other day. She said Buffy told her she came over to my house. She's keeping stuff from us." Willow said.
"Maybe we should follow her tonite. See where she goes." Xander suggested.
"I can't tonight,"Cordy said. "I have to be the dutiful daughter and see my dad off to the airport. Seems it's just you,Willow,and Oz," she saidwrapping her arm around Xander.
"Oz can't go. He has Dingo practice." Willow said, realizing she and Xander would be alone tonight. The bell rang. Willow jumped a little.
"Have fun tonight!" Cordelia said kissing Xander goodbye.
"Yeah, lots" Xander said quietly.
"Yeah," Willow agreed.

Willow and Xander walked through the streets a safe distance from Buffy. They watched as she went into the butchers and came out with a brown bag. She turned left and kept walking. Her boots not making a noise. Willow was creeped out by the quietness. When she heard a loud bang, she nearly screamed. Xander clamped his hand over her mouth,and pulled her into a dark corner. They saw Buffy turn around to inspect the noise.She walked in their direction. Xander leaned Willow into the wall and kissed her. Buffy stopped and saw a young couple making out. She turned back around and continued walking.
Xander kept kissing Willow.
"Xander," she kissed him."We," she kisses him again."should really," she kisses him again."go." Xander stepped away slowly. Realizing their 'fluke'.
"Yeah," he said. They walked quickly down the ally. One on one side the other farther away on the other side.
When Buffy finally stopped. She was at the mansion. She opened the door and walked to the room where Angel was. Xander and Willow looked in through a window. Willow gasped when Angel walked into the lighted room.
"What the hell!" Xander whispered. Willow shushed him as she tried to listen.
"Hey Angel. Here ya go,"Angel took the cup."Well I talked to Giles. No joy."
"He can't forgive me?"
"It's not that. He's completely sure that if you came back from hell you'd be screwed up. And he hates the idea of me being in love with you."
"Do you feel the same?" he asked nervously.
"Of course not. I love you. I always will. Its just, I hate sneaking around."
"I understand."
"I haven't told the others, but I'm positive they'd feel the same."
"Damn right we would!" Xander whispered to Willow.
"You should tell someone. Tell Willow, she's sweet. She'll understand how you feel." Willow brightened at this.
"It would hurt too many people if this ever came out. My loving you, our kisses." Xander looked at Willow. Angel and Buffy's conversation could have been there own. Willow looked at him, realizing the same thing.
"Xander,"
"No wait, let me speak. I..I think I'm falling in love with you Wil."
"Xander. Oh god, me too. But Oz and Cordy?"
"When I'm with you, who cares. I just think of kissing you. Smelling your hair," he scooted over. Willow leaned into him. They had completely forgotten about Angel and Buffy. They began kissing softly,then with building passion. Soon they were laying on the gound making out. Buffy opened the side door. She saw Willow and Xander making out.
"Ohmigod!" she gasped. Willow looked over Xander's shoulder and saw Buffy.
"Oh god Buffy!" Xander continued kissing her.
"We can follow her another time," Willow pushed him off.
"I meant, Hi Buffy!" Xander looked up shocked. He jumped up.
"Buffy, hi!" he said. He helped Willow up."How ya doing, buddy ol' pal?"
"What the hell are you two doing?"
"Nothing, we are doing absolutely nothing!" Xander said.
"It sure as hell looked like you two were cheating on Cordy and Oz."
"Oh you're the one to talk. Little miss...umm Innocence!" Xander said wagging his finger at her.
"What?!" Buffy asked raising an eyebrow. She pulled her jacket around herself, tighter.
"Angel! We saw you and him..big smootchies,"Xander said.
"You were spying on me! How dare you!"
"How dare I!"
"How dare you turn this around on me. You're the one cheating!"
"You're the one housing a known killer who tried to kill all your friends!"
"He's different now! He's good!" Buffy said.
"For how long?" Willow asked."We thought he was good before."
"He should die for what he did to Giles,and everyone! But gosh he IS dead! Let's make him deader!" Xander pulled a stake out of his jacket. Buffy had no time to react. Xander ran into the mansion screaming:
"Hey, Angel, you monster, get out here and fight!"Willow looked at Buffy. Buffy quickly ran into the house.
"Xander don't you do this. Don't make me hit you!" Buffy rushed Xander and knocked the stake out of his hand. She was all set to hit him when someone grabbed her from behind and dragged her away. She tried to fight whoever it was. Xander ran over to the stake and picked it up. Buffy turned around.
"Angel! Get out of here! Now!"
'This isn't your fight, Buffy! If Xander has to kill me, then let him. He's right. I'm a monster! I have no right to live, or to be with you."
"This is MY fight! I have to protect you!"
"Not this time." he stepped towards Xander. Buffy turned to Xander, then back to Angel.
"I can't afford to loose you again! Don't you understand that! I need you to live!" she turned to Xander, "Xander,Please!" Xander kept looking straight ahead. "Xander, most slayers don't live to be 30! Angel is my one chance to be in love. You have the rest of your life to find The One. Angel is my One! Don't you understand that!" she turned to Angel."How dare YOU do this to me!" She weakly slammed her hand onto his chest. "How dare you try and leave me!" Angel pulled her to him. Hugging her tightly."How dare you two do this!" she whispered. Willow sat in the corner crying from the scene she just witnessed. Xander dropped the stake and walked over to her.
"Xander, how could we do this!" she said. "She doesn't have a life at all. We were about to take one of the people she loves the most out of it!" Xander nodded. He looked over at the two of them. They were still hugging.

"I'm so sorry Buffy,"Angel said kissing the top of her head. "I forget that you are the slayer sometimes. I figured he wouldn't kill me anyways."Buffy hugged him tighter. "Thank you, Buffy." She looked at him. Angel wiped the tears off her face before pulling her into a kiss. Xander and Willow watched them. Xander took Willow's hand and turned to her.
"Will,what are we going to do? We have to tell Cordy and Oz, if we want to be together." Willow nodded her agreement.
"I know but.."
"We have to! You do want to be with me?"Xander asked his voice full of worry. Buffy pulled away from Angel and turned to Xander and Willow.
"You guys can't tell anyone, especially Giles." Willow nodded,but Xander didn't do anything. "Xander! You have to!" Xander looked at Buffy angrily.
"Why should I? Giles has every right to know."
"You don't think I know this! I tried to tell him today,but he won't listen."
"Why should he? Angel killed the person he loved. I could never forgive that!"
"Of course you couldn't. But can you clear something up for me? Who is it that you love, Will or Cordy,cause I for one am confused!"
"You guys stop it!" Angel said stepping in between them.
"Yeah, you two are acting childish," Willow said standing next to Angel.
"Oh yeah, Will,agree with deadboy." Buffy stepped in closer.
"Xander,I've hit you before,it's not underneath me!"
"Yeah,but we know what's on TOP of you." Buffy swung and punched him.
"Buffy!?" Angel and Willow yelled together. Willow knelt down next to Xander attending his bloody nose. Angel turned to Buffy.
"Buffy, he isn't worth it. Xander is your friend." Buffy dropped her fighting stance.
"You got one thing right Angel. He isn't worth it, but he is not my friend." Willow helped Xander stand up. "Oh, poor Xander. Need some help?" Buffy asked with a smirk.
"You guys stop it now, before one of you does something you'll regret."
"A little late for that now, isn't it. The little trampy slayer already did something she'll regret,"Buffy stood next to Angel her arms crossed.
"Xander,come on let's go."Willow looked sadly at Buffy and Angel. She mouthed "I'm sorry," Buffy nodded that she understood,and Angel walked them to the door. Buffy turned to Angel.
"I need to get to Giles before he does,"She stood on tiptoes and kissed him goodnight. She walked over to Giles, and pounded on his front door. Giles slowly opened the door looking upset.
"Buffy," he opened the door wider. She could now see inside the apartment. Willow and Xander stood near the couch.
"Damn,"she whispered. She stepped inside."Giles, I can explain!"
"Explain what!? That you lied to me and your friends. You decided to disrespect us. What is there to explain!" Giles exploded. While he was yelling he managed to back Buffy into a corner.
"Giles, Giles, listen," she stammered,evidently upset by his outburst, and sudden dissappointment in her.
"No, Buffy,you listen! I am you Watcher! How dare you abuse your power by hitting Xander!"
"You don't understand! You weren't there!" Buffy was now trying to control her tears. She wanted him to understand.
"It doesn't matter. You can't do this Buffy!" "Let me explain!" Giles gave her a look,and walked away his face deep red."What? You can't hear my side of it! Fine,whatever!" she turned to Xander,he quickly raised his hands as if she was about to hit him."Congrats,Xander. You win!" she quickly left, slamming the door behind herself. She headed home.
Buffy woke up feeling a little better,but more sad then angry. She was prepared to face Giles and tell him about the phone call she made last night.
She quickly stepped into the school and headed to the library. Everyone was there like usual. Even Xander. She didn't bother saying hello.
"Giles, everyone. I've made a decision. I called the Watcher's Council last night. Since I'm such a huge dissappointment to you all, they said I can change Watchers. Faith is being transfered to you and I'm getting Faith's new watcher. I'm hoping that will help any problems we may have." Buffy turned and quickly left before anyone could react. The others sat in silence as the double doors swung closed. Cordelia broke the silence,
"Way to go Xander! We have to hang out with an even bigger freak, Faith!" Xander turned his head to Cordy.
"I think we have bigger problems, Cordelia!" Willow said sadly.
Buffy knocked on the guidance counselor's door.
"Come in!" a cheerful female voice called from within. Buffy opened the door and stepped inside nervously. "Have a seat,"she looked down at the file in her hand."Miss. Summers," she pointed to the wooden chairs in front of her small cluttered desk. Buffy quickly sat down,smoothing the creases in her dress. "What can I do you for?" Buffy swallowed,
"I need to transfer out of my old classes and into new classes." she laid her schedule on the table.
"Your in luck, we have another student wishing to do the same. So hopefully this can be done." she typed some stuff on the computer and smiled. "It sure can be done,Miss Summers."she typed some more and pressed enter. The printer whirled on. Buffy's attention diverted over to it as she watched the paper slowly come out of printer. Mrs. Sandler checked it over once more and then handed it over to Buffy.
"Does this go into effect right now?" Mrs.Sandler nodded and smiled. Buffy smiled back "Thanks."

"Everyone this is Samantha Weber. Her and Buffy have switched classes. You may sit in Buffy's old seat, it was rarely occupied. Willow, raise your hand so she can see which desk I mean." Willow sadly raised her hand. She looked as the girl took her bestfriends old chair. She sadly looked at Xander and Cordy who were thinking the same thing. The tight group of friends was seriously dwindling. And when Cordy and Oz found out about her and Xander, there'd be a even more trouble. Everything would be over.

Buffy looked around at the unfamiliar faces. She missed Xander and Willow cracking jokes during classes. Buffy glanced out the window. She was almost completely tuned out,when the loudspeaker sqwacked on.
"We need Buffy Summers to the library," Buffy looked up her eyes wide. She grabbed her books, since the bell was about to ring anyways. She quickly walked to the library. When she opened the doors she saw Giles talking with an older man she had never seen before.
"Miss Summers! I'm Mr. Pryce,"
"And I care....because?" she asked confused.
"I don't need an attitude young lady!" Buffy looked at him angrily. She hated to be called 'young lady'.
"Buffy,"Giles interjected. "This is your new Watcher,"Buffy's face softened.
"Oh! Hi, please call me Buffy,"
"Miss Summers, we have a lot of work to do, let's begin training," Buffy hated how he stressed the words A Lot."You can't wear that?" he said pointing to her dress. "A slayer must dress for trouble. You have to be prepared to fight!"
"I'd be in bigger trouble, if I came to school in sweats. Trust me I can fight in this outfit,I've fought in a prom dress before. A few times if I recall correctly."
"You do recall correctly" Giles trailed off on the last two words, because Mr.Pryce was giving him this look to shut up.
"Fine," he pulled out a quarterstaff. Buffy laughed. She took the stick he held out to her. Giles smiled remembering when he was training with Buffy.
"Mr. Pryce, no offense but i know how to use this!" Giles nodded his agreement, wincing at the remembered pain she had inflicted on him that day.
"Sure you do,Miss Summers,"he said sarcastically. Buffy shrugged.
"Be ready for a big 'I told ya so' " she held the stick out diagonally in front of her. She swung the stick to trip him, it hit him in the back of the knees. Meanwhile as he fell to the floor she grabbed the Watchers stick. She snapped the newly required stick in two pieces and managed to trip him again all in one fluid motion. She took one of the broken pieces and held it to his chest. He looked up at her from the floor and nodded his head. He realized she was better trained then he had expected. He slowly got up at no assistance of Buffy. Buffy turned to Giles smiling proudly. Pryce grabbed the crossbow aiming it over Buffy's shoulder, he couldn't actually shoot her. He quickly let the weapon fly. It came flying at her shoulder. She quickly shot her hand up and caught it,never turning around. She turned around and dropped it on the floor near Pryce's feet. Her hands were on her hips,and her feet spread apart a little. She looked down at him,
"I told ya so!" she doubled back and grabbed her bag and jacket from the library counter.
"Where are you going?" Buffy looked over her shoulder.
"I'm going to a friend's house," she started walking again.
"Is it that vampires house,Angel?" Pryce asked.
"How do you know about him?" she asked shocked.
"Giles has to give me all information on you to me." Buffy turned to Giles.
"Figures. Yes, I'm going to Angels. What's the big deal?" she sighed.
"He's a vampire. I forbid you from seeing him, Ever!" Buffy stepped in closer to the tall man.
"No one forbids me from doing anything,especially when Angel is involved. Angel is good and he's my friend,nothing more. Plus who died and made you my dad? I can see whoever I want to."
"I am your Watcher. I tell you what to do, and you listen."
"No, you watch and I slay. Or did you forget that part in the manual. You need help about this compulsive disorder you have. " Buffy headed to the door again.
"Miss Summers, if you see Angel again. I'll kill him!" Buffy laughed.
"I'd like to see that happen!" she pushed the door open. "Bye," she quickly left.
"Is she always like this?" Giles nodded yes.
"A little less upset. You'll learn though. Buffy is different then other slayers we've had or read about. She has friends who know who she is. And her mother recently found out the truth. Those people power her to succeed. And as much as I hate to admit it, Angel helps her out a lot. He helps us out a lot. And they do love eachother. I feel we just have to accept that."
"Not me," Pryce said grabbing a telephone out of his jacket pocket. He dialed, as he waited for an answer he said to Giles,"I'm putting an end to all this."

Buffy stepped inside the empty mansion. She called out Angel's name a few times but nothing happened. Buffy cautiously wandered from room to room. Where could he be? She stopped suddenly,she felt something shift in the room. Something terrible was about to happen. Her spider sense,she and Willow used to call it. She laughed nervously, mostly to calm her now growing wiggidness. Buffy stopped completely and slammed her head back. The back of her head connected with the forehead of someone else. She turned,she was in her fighting stance. The little man stood up. Buffy was shocked by how little he was. She'd never come upon a evil force barely the 5'3 she was.
"I've come with a message. The Watcher's Council has taken your status of Slayer away." he said reading from a sheet of paper,he rubbed his forehead.
"What?! They can't do that!"
"I just deliver the messages," and with that he dissappeared.
"Buffy!" Giles came running in. "Pryce is up to. something." he said out of breath.
"Yeah ya think! He somehow got my slayer status taken away. I'm no longer a slayer!" Giles looked shocked."Giles,that's all I know how to do. Without that I'm a nobody!" she slowly sunk down to the ground.
"Maybe you still have your powers and can still fight," Giles looked on the ground and found a board. He held it out in front of him."Here, break it." Buffy still sat on the floor,she lifted her hand and easily broke the board. This brightened her up a little, Giles smiled. Buffy stood up confidently and yelled.
"You can't stop me! You can't take away who I am!" She spun around. When she stopped screaming and spinning the little demon guy was back.