The doorbell rang as the evening was coming to a close. “I’ll get it” Buffy told her Mom, “It’s probably Cordy, she said she might pop by. Opening the door she came face to chest with the person, or vampire, she least expected to see. “Angel, um, hi,” she stammered.

“Buffy, may I come in?” Angel’s voice was quiet and level, with no hint of emotion colouring it.

“Of course, come in Angel,” Buffy stepped back to allow her ex admittance to her home.

“Happy Birthday Buffy,” Angel said, capturing her in an embrace. She hugged him back briefly then moved to pull away, feeling smothered against the vampire’s overwhelming bulk. Angel recoiled slightly at her obvious discomfort in his arms, managing to keep the hurt from reflecting in his eyes he lowered his arms and stepped back. “ Would we be able to talk, Buffy?” eyeing her friends his voiced dropped to barely above a whisper, “in private I mean.”

“Uhh, yeah, sure. Come out to the back porch with me.” Buffy caught Willow’s worried eye as she made her way through to the kitchen and out the back, ‘it’s ok’ she tried to convey to her friend, willing her to understand.

Once outside awkwardness set in in earnest. Angel leant against the handrail of the steps while Buffy stood on the porch, her hands, not knowing what to do with themselves, alternating between being folded neatly in front of her and clasped behind her back. What happened to us she wondered, when did things get this difficult between us that we can’t even be in each other’s company without feeling so damned uncomfortable. She knew better than to think that things could be the way they had been, I mean you don’t break up with someone and expect everything to go on as usual but she had not expected things to degenerate to this incredible feeling of uneasiness in his company.

Yesterday she had been on top of the world anticipating a wonderful night out on a real date with her vampire boyfriend. Today she could barely see what she had seen in him. There was nothing ‘easy’ about Angel, he loomed over people, dark, intense and brooding.

There was a constant sense of agitated displeasure emanating from him when he looked at Buffy tonight, like a preacher with a disobedient flock. As if he alone could see the wickedness of the world and even though he had tried to show you the light, the correct path to follow, somehow you had managed to stumble from it, failing him, and yet that failure was what he had expected from you all along.
“Angel,” Buffy finally broke the ominous silence. “You said you wanted to talk, so make with the talky, ok.”

Angel’s brow creased briefly in frustration then smoothed again as he forcibly composed himself.
“Buffy, I wanted to give you this,” he held a small velvet box out to her, “and to try to work through whatever it is that happened last night. I love you Buffy, I don’t want to be breaking up with you and I just don’t understand what happened. All I want is to keep you safe. I was trying to warn you, to make you understand how dangerous Spike is. He isn’t like me Buffy, he doesn’t have a soul and he will hurt you!” He thrust the small box closer to her, urging her to take it.

Buffy took the box, trying to control her exasperation at his insistence in continuing right where he'd left of the night before. She opened it to reveal a silver ring, two hands holding a heart with a crown above.

“It's a Claddagh ring. The hands represent friendship, the crown represents loyalty... and the heart... Well, you know... Wear it with the heart pointing towards you. It means you belong to somebody,” Angel looked at her waiting for a response. “Here let me…” He reached for her hand and Buffy pulled away, looking up finally to meet his eye.

“No. Angel…it…it’s beautiful, really it is, but no, I can’t accept this. I’m sorry Angel, what I told you last night, I meant it, we are over. We aren’t good together Angel, I…I…..” her voice dropped to a whisper, “don’t love you. I don’t think I ever really did, not in the way you want me to. I will always care about you, but…”

“Oh, I see. So last night we have a fight about you spending time with a dangerous animal and then suddenly today you don’t love me and you never did….gee I think I see a pattern here, what about you Buffy, are you seeing a pattern?” In his fury his voice had risen and taken on a dangerous note, dark eyes became sinister as he loomed over the girl before him.

“Angel this has nothing to do with Spike. This has to do with us and with the fact that I am sick to death of you trying to control every aspect of my life.  Trying to turn me into some perfect example of what you believe a slayer should be. I broke up with you because what we had wasn’t love, not in any sense of the word. You don't love me, if you did you wouldn't treat me this way. You wouldn’t try to change me all the time. You would be my partner, not my regulator. Angel you are not in love with me, you are in love with your own stupid power and I have had enough of it! Get over yourself Angel, I sure as hell have!” Buffy’s voice was quiet so as not to carry to those inside, there was however no doubting the resentment which poured into every word.

“You do not speak to me like that, little girl. You have no idea what you are talking about, this is NOT over!” Angel growled.

Buffy looked with disbelief at her former boyfriend and thrusting the box back into his hands she fled inside, locking the door behind her. After taking a few moments to compose herself she returned to her party and her friends, trying to block the Angel incident from her mind and enjoy the rest of her night.

“Is everything alright sweetie?” Her mom appeared at her side, with a rather browbeaten and haggard looking Watcher behind her.

“Yeah mom, everything is alright now. Um, Angel won’t be coming around any more, and if he does….don’t invite him in, ok! Giles, is there a way to you know uninvite him?”

"Might I enquire as to the reason for your request? He hasn’t threatened you in any way has he?” Her Watcher's eyes narrowed angrily allowing a brief glimpse of something or someone much darker and considerably more dangerous than the affable tweed-clad Librarian.

“No, not really, he just, well I broke up with him and he just doesn’t seem to be wanting to take 'no' for an answer. It’s not really something he has done, he just kinda gave me the wiggins. I guess I’d just feel better knowing he can’t just wander in whenever he chooses. So we can stop that right?”

“Yes Buffy, it is in fact a rather simple incantation. I can perform it tomorrow if you wish, I just need a few supplies. I am sure Willow could assist me, she is showing quite an interest and aptitude for the arcane arts.

Buffy looked up at the anxious faces of the two adults in her life, flashing them a dazzling smile. “Cake… there is cake right?”

“Yes, honey, there’s cake... if you are ready for it.”

“Mmmm, definitely time for sugary goodness.” Buffy caught her mother’s eye, looking briefly at Giles she silently asked the question. Was her mom alright?  Had she got the answers she required from the Watcher? Her mom nodded almost imperceptibly, yes for now she was satisfied with the information she had received, however her look indicated that further discussions may be in order at a later date.

Just then another knock was heard from the front door, Giles opened it, prepared to confront the angry vampire with a rather blunt dismissal. What he was not prepared for, however, was the even darker force that walked in, high heels clicking.

“Oh, hey, Buffy. Wow, your hair looks almost stylish for once.”

“Cordelia,” Xander said. “Our night was not complete until you arrived.”

The dark haired girl blinked at him as though wondering why he was talking to her, she tossed her hair, turning back to Buffy as Joyce re-entered the room, carrying the cake.

Cordelia offered Joyce a beaming smile and handed Buffy a package. Buffy accepted the parcel with complete surprise, as Cordy pushed past her to where Joyce was cutting the cake.

Buffy unwrapped the gift to find a moisturizer and a small cosmetics package.
 
“Wow,” Willow commented.

“See how she somehow manages to mock you even when giving you a present,” Xander pointed out, “amazing.”

“So..” Cordelia was talking to Joyce. “Your nails look great, I was thinking of getting mine done again. Where did you go for yours? I usually have someone in to do mine but she’s away for the next two weeks on honeymoon, can you say inconsiderate!”

*****

Across the road the blonde vampire paced in an effort to expel the rage and fury rippling through him. He had seen his Grandsire arrive and be ushered into the house. Moments later he had heard the back door open and close The conversation that had ensued had him almost tearing across the road and ripping his Grandsire to shreds! Infuriating enough were the things Angelus had said about him, but hey, he was a big boy he could live with that, and there had definitely never been any love lost between the two vampires, he was fairly certain that anything he himself had to say in regards to the older vampire would be far from flattering. However when he heard his Grandsire’s voice rise in fury and threat it was all he could do to contain himself, to not run to the side of the girl he loved and protect her from the malicious evil he was so well acquainted with, to remind himself that The Slayer did not need protection from one vampire, even one as spiteful and vindictive as the one she currently faced. Seconds later he heard the door open and close again and watched as his incensed elder stormed off into the night.

Fists clenching and unclenching as he paced, he reassured himself with stolen glimpses of the continued merriment across the road, laughter and occasional squeals of delight doing much to calm his anger. As the frenzy eased his mind cleared enough to dwell on the conversation that had taken place. He knew now that Angelus was aware of his continued presence in Sunnydale, he knew also that The Slayer and his Grandsire had fought about him, with the result being Buffy breaking up with him. His pacing stopped as he allowed this information to permeate, a slow smile spread across his face, his eyes lighting with the fruitless hope infusing his being. Lighting another cigarette he continued to watch the Summer’s household until all the guests had departed and the occupants had fallen into a peaceful slumber. After which time he wandered off in search of a meal, his heart lighter, his step euphoric.