Angel wasn't sure if he'd heard Mr. Summers correctly; he thought his ears were playing tricks on him. "Excuse me? What did you say?" he asked.

"The three million dollars is yours, provided you no longer maintain contact with my daughter. It's as simple as that."

"I don't get it. Why?"

Mr. Summer sighed. "I mean nothing personal against you, Angel. You seem like a very nice young man. It's just that…well, I always pictured my Buffy with somebody different. A man with a better status in society, if you know what I mean. Someone who can provide for her and give her the life she deserves; the life she is accustomed to. You should be able to understand that."

'Better than you think. I know exactly what you're getting at,' thought Angel. "What you're doing is paying me off. Hush money."

"No, not at all. I know how much you mean to my little girl, and how much this money would mean to you."

"Do you honestly believe that I can be bought? That you can just hand me a check for three million dollars and I'll get out of Buffy's life?"

"As I said before, the three million is yours. I'm willing to make it very worth your while if you agree."

Angel narrowed his eyes. "I don't want your money."

"Buffy told me yesterday how smart you are, and as the class Valedictorian, I can see how you got into so many good colleges. And I'll see to it that you attend the one of your choice."

"I already told you, Mr. Summers, I don't want your money. I have no need for it."

"But there, young man, you are wrong. I happen to know just how much you need that money. There're your mother's medical bills, which I assume are outrageous; the house, the bills for it, etc.. Think about what I'm offering you. It's the chance to be out of debt."

"No." Angel refused to be bought. "I love Buffy. Money won't make me go away."

Shaking his head, Mr. Summers proceeded. "If you love my daughter as much as you claim to, you'll let her have the life she deserves. Leave her alone. I am offering you the chance of a lifetime here. Three million dollars; I will take care of all of your college bills, books, tuition, dorming expenses and whatnot. Your mother's medical bills will be paid in full for as long as need be. I'll even buy out the mortgage on your house so that you'll own it outright. Just think about it, Angel. I'm doing all that for you, and all you have to do is one little thing for me."

Hatred and loathing filled Angel's heart and mind. Who did Hank Summers think he was? "I don't care how much you give me, I'll never leave Buffy," he said through gritted teeth. "I don't need your money. I'm perfectly happy going to Sunnydale Community College next fall, and I can handle maintaining my family's bills just fine on my own. And as for the three million dollars? It's blood money and I refuse to touch it."

"If you love her so much, you'll release your hold on her," Mr. Summers said. "And it's not blood money. Think of all the good you can do with this money. You and your family can be financially secure for the rest of your life. How can you say no to that?"

"My family and I are getting along just fine with the amount of money I'm making here."

"This could change your life," he pointed out. "How can you say no to something like this without even talking it over with your mother and sister? Shouldn't they have a say in it?"

Angel shook his head. The man obviously didn't get it. Yes, the money would be helpful, but there was a principle behind it. "The answer is still no."

"And as wonderful as it is to know that you care more about my daughter than you do about money, this isn't a decision you can make in an instant. Talk it over with your family, see how they feel about it. Take twenty-four hours to consider my offer." 'Either way, you'll be out of Buffy's life. I'll see to it.'

"Fine. But the answer will still be no. I guarantee it."

Angel returned home from work at nine-thirty, his mind still reeling from Mr. Summers' offer. Three million dollars, fully-paid tuition to the university of his choice, his mother's hospital and doctor bills paid for and complete ownership of his life-long home. All of that in exchange for breaking up with Buffy.

The question remained: could he do it? Angel was positive he couldn't. No, there was no way he could ever give up the girl he loved, no matter how much money was involved.

'But what I can really offer her?' Angel questioned himself. 'Everything Mr. Summers said was true. I can't give her the life she truly deserves. Buffy should be with someone who can give her the world; I can't do that.' He frowned. 'I love her, though. I can give her love. More love than any other man can give.'

"Angel, honey, is everything okay?" his mother asked. When he'd walked through the door, Mrs. Riches noticed a distant look on his face. Like something was plaguing his thoughts.

'Mr. Summers made a good point,' he thought. 'I *should* discuss this with Mom before I do anything. It has as much to do with her and it does with me and Buffy.' "Actually, no, it isn't."

"Did something happen at work? Did you get in trouble?"

He shook his head. "No, nothing like that. I…do you remember how I stayed overnight at Buffy's house last night?"

"Yeah."

"Well…Mr. Summers came home this morning and found out. It was more along the lines of him coming into Buffy's bedroom and finding us there. So, tonight when I got to work, I was called up to his office. He wanted to talk to me about it."

"And I'm assuming Hank wasn't too happy," Mrs. Riches said quietly. "What did he say to you?"

Angel snorted. "He was more pissed off than anything else. We talked. But this is the clincher, Mom. Mr. Summers offered me money if I break up with Buffy."

She lifted her eyebrows in surprise. "That doesn't sound like the Hank I know and…well, that just doesn't sound like him."

"I guess this Hank is different from the one you knew back in high school. Because this one isn't above bribery to get what he wants. And what he wants is me out of Buffy's life," Angel told her.

"Exactly how much is he offering you?"

"Three million dollars, my college tuition, the mortgage on this house and all your doctor's bills will be paid from now on. And all I have to do is stop seeing Buffy. He made it sound that easy."

Mrs. Riches didn't reply right away. It was a lot of information for her to process all at once. "That's…wow."

"What should I do, Mom?" he wanted to know. "Should I take the money or tell him to shove it?"

"It's your decision, not mine. I can't tell you what to do."

"But I don't know what to do! I told Mr. Summers that I didn't want the money. Then I started thinking about it, started second-guessing myself. Not from the financial aspect, but from a more reality-based point of view. I can't give Buffy the life she's used to, the life she deserves. What can I give her, besides me?"

She smiled at her son. "Perhaps she doesn't need those things as much as her father thinks she does. Maybe you are enough for her."

"It can't be." Angel bit his lip. "What should I do?"

"I'd say you should talk to Buffy about it. This concerns her, too. She should know what her father is doing."

"You're right, she should know. I have to talk this over with her. I can't just make this big of a decision on my own. Especially when it has to do with her, too."

Angel stood on the front porch of the Summers' home, with his finger poised only inches from the doorbell. After some hard thinking the night before, he knew for a fact that he had to tell Buffy what her father had said to him. Taking a deep breath, he rang the doorbell to announce his arrival.

From the bathroom, Buffy heard the chiming of the doorbell. Putting on a robe over her still-damp body, she ran downstairs to find out who it was. Her face broke out in a grin when she found Angel on the other side of the door.

"Hi!" she greeted, throwing her arms around him.

"Hey," Angel replied. He could feel the warmth of her body radiate through the thin robe she was wearing. 'How can I even consider leaving Buffy?' he wondered. 'I don't need money, I just need her.' "Did I come at a bad time?"

She shook her head. "Not really. I was drying myself off after my shower. Thought I'd get up early and get some sun before Passions starts. Come on in."

"Sorry for coming by so early. I didn't know if you'd even be awake, but I needed to talk to you," Angel told her, stepping inside the house.

"It's perfectly okay. I wasn't really expecting to see you until dinner. We're still on, right? That's not why you came, was it? To break out date?"

"Nope. We're still on."

"Great. Do you mind waiting in my room while I finish getting dressed?" Despite their intimate moments together, Buffy still felt shy and self-conscious whenever she was undressed around him.

"No problem."

Angel sat himself down on her bed after she returned to the bathroom. Reaching over onto her nightstand, he picked up the picture taken of them during the Prom. 'If only we'd known, Buffy. Maybe then things wouldn't be as screwed up as they are now.'

"All done," Buffy announced when she entered her bedroom. "Do you want to go outside? We can sit on the back patio and talk out there. It's such a nice day out."

He nodded. "That's fine with me. Lead the way."

Taking a firm hold of Angel's hand, Buffy led him downstairs to the patio. She pulled two lounge chairs into a sunny area and motioned for him to sit down.

"So, what's so important that you came by at ten-thirty in the morning to tell me? It couldn't have waited until later?" Buffy wanted to know.

"It couldn't wait, I had to tell you. It…it's about your father and what happened yesterday morning."

She gazed curiously at him. "My dad? Angel, he and I had a long talk yesterday after you left, and then another one when he got home from work. He understands how I feel and he's okay with it. Dad gave us his blessing. He isn't angry anymore; he knows how in love we are. And he's okay with it."

Solemnly shaking his head, Angel placed his large hand over her smaller one. "No, Buffy, he's not. He doesn't understand. He doesn't even care how we feel."

"What are you talking about?"

"Last night at work, your father called me into his office. He wanted to talk to me about us. And he started saying how you deserve better and that I can't give you what you need."

"You know that isn't true," she reminded him. "All I need is you. Nothing more, nothing less."

He managed a small smile. "I'm glad someone thinks so. Then he brought up my parents, asking how my mom is and telling me about old times. Buffy, I'm going to make a long story short here. Your father offered me three million dollars to break up with you."

Buffy didn't say anything for the longest time. Staring deep into his mesmerizing brown eyes, she burst out laughing. "That's a good one! You really had me going for a minute there. Nice joke, Angel."

"This isn't a joke, Buffy, it's completely true. He'll give me three million dollars, pay my college tuition, pay my mom's medical bills and buy my house if I never see you again. This isn't something I'd ever joke about."

"No. It can't be true. My father would never do something like that," she disagreed. Nothing Angel said sounded like anything her father would do. It didn't make sense to her. He had no reason to say such things.

"I'm sorry. He did."

She stood up. "No! You're lying! He wants me to be happy, and he said he knows you make me happy. Dad would not do that to me."

"Buffy –"

"Get out." She pointed to the driveway. "Go away and don't come back until you apologize for saying that stuff about him. It's all lies."

Angel had figured she wouldn't believe him; he couldn't blame her. He's always been told that blood was thicker than water. "I'm not lying, I swear." He pulled out the check Mr. Summers had given him the night before from his shorts pocket. "Here's the proof if you don't believe me."

Buffy took it from him. She found it hard to breathe when she saw her father's signature on the bottom of the check, which had been made out in Angel's name. "Oh my god," she muttered.

"I thought you should know."

She closed her eyes. "Thank you. I'm sorry for yelling at you like that. I just couldn't imagine my own father doing something that heartless."

"It's okay. I understand. Buffy, he gave me until tonight to make my decision. I told him no from the start. Money doesn't mean anything to me, not like you do. But I at least had to tell you," Angel explained.

"What are you going to do?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. I'm being forced to choose between the woman I love and more money than I know what to do with."

"And?" she prodded.

"And if I had to make the decision on my own, I would tell your father to take that check and shove it up his ass. Love would win out, hands down. But I can't make that decision on my own. I have to make it with you."

"Do you think you can drive me to the store?" she asked.

He lifted his eyebrows in confusion. "Why?"

"Because I need to have a little chat with my father."

Mr. Summers looked up from his paperwork when his daughter burst into his office without bothering to knock first. "Sweetie, I wasn't expecting to see you. What's going on?"

"Don't 'sweetie' me, Dad. You know exactly why I'm here. Angel came to see me today; told me all about your conversation with him yesterday. How could you?!" she yelled.

"Now calm down…"

"I will not calm down until you explain! Did you or did you not offer my boyfriend money in exchange for breaking up with me?"

He nodded. "I did. It's an extraordinary opportunity for him. You said it yourself how smart he is. So I offered him the chance to attend any of the universities that he's been accepted to."

"Why? Why would you do it?"

"For you, Buffy."

"I don't get it. Why would you do that, knowing full-well how much it would hurt me?" she demanded. "I love Angel and you're trying to buy him off. What kind of a father are you?"

"One who loves his daughter more than anything in the world. One who doesn't want to see her get hurt."

"Excuse me? What do you mean by that? Angel's not gonna hurt me. We went over this yesterday morning."

"He will. Sooner or later, it'll happen. And I would rather it happen now, before you become too attached to him."

She shook her head in disbelief. "You asshole. I hate you."

"Buffy Anne Summers, don't you take that tone of voice with me," her father warned. "I'm telling you right now, young lady, if Angel says no, and you continue to see him, I will cut you off. You'll be out of my house faster than you can even blink."

"I'm your daughter. You wouldn't do that."

"Yes, I would. Let's see how you like being broke. You think you can survive on love alone? Guess again. I am doing the two of you a favor. Convince your boyfriend to say yes. Things will be much better that way."

"I can't believe you're threatening me."

"I'm not threatening you. I'm giving you options. You're eighteen now, Buffy. I no longer have to provide for you, you're old enough to do that on your own. And if you continue on with this…relationship with Angel Riches, you'll be on your own. No money, no home, no family. Is that understood?" Mr. Summers asked.

Buffy felt defeated. Her father had won; there was no way out. "Fine."

"How did it go?" Angel questioned when she climbed back into his car. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Do you still want me to tell you what to do about the money?"

Angel nodded. "Of course I do. It had to do with you just as much as me. I can't make this decision without your input."

She took a tentative breath. "All right. I want you to take the money."

Angel blinked several times before saying anything in reply. He'd never expected Buffy to say that he should take her father's money. It had been his assumption that she'd tell him to say no and stay with her. "Did I hear you right, Buffy? You want me to take the money?"

"Yes. When you see my dad tonight, tell him yes."

"Why? What made you decide that?"

Buffy whipped her head around to face him. She hadn't been able to look him in the eye when she gave him her answer. It would have hurt too much to look into the eyes of the man she had loved most of her life and tell him to leave her. "Can we *not* talk about this here? We'll go back to my house and talk there."

He didn't move a muscle. "Did your dad say something? You're upset and being snappy. That's not like you. Something happened, I can tell by the tone of your voice and the look in your eyes."

"I told you, not here. Just take me home, Angel, and I promise to explain everything. I can't talk here."

"Okay," he responded, nodding his head.

They didn't say a word during the ten minute drive back to her house. Angel knew Buffy was upset, but did not want to prod her into talking when she obviously wasn't ready to. Though when he saw the black mascara streaks on her cheeks, caused by her silent tears, he had to force himself to keep driving and not pull off to the side of the road and hold her in his arms.

On the other side of the seat, Buffy sat staring out the window, her mind flashing back to her conversation with her father. 'How could my own father do that to me? Is money all he cares about? Aren't my feelings important to him? And does he honestly believe that he'll be able to keep me and Angel apart? He's dead wrong. Not if I have anything to say about it. He's not going to run my life, he will not keep me from the man I love,' she swore.

Angel held the door open for Buffy as she stepped out of his car, and followed her to the back patio once again. She threw her purse on one of the chairs and grabbed his hand. Together, they began walking through her large backyard. Angel waited patiently for her to speak.

"I'm sorry for not believing you," Buffy apologized when they'd walked only thirty feet.

"It's okay, don't worry about it. I never expected you to believe me over your own father."

She snorted. "Father…ha! No father of mine would have done what he did. It's inexcusable! How can he be the same man my mother fell in love with and married? I don't think they're the same person anymore. They can't be."

"My mother and I said basically the same thing last night after I told her about our conversation," he said.

"Your mom," Buffy stated. "What did she say? What does she want you to do?"

"She said it wasn't her decision to make, that I am old enough to do it on my own. And that I should talk to you first." Angel sighed heavily. "Do you want me to accept your father's offer? Is that really what you want?"

Buffy nodded vigorously. "Yes. Angel, do it. It's the only way…"

"The only way for what? What do you mean by that?"

"It is the only way for us to be together."

"Buffy, what are you talking about? We'll still be together if I say no," he told her. "Which is exactly what I want to tell him. I can't take that money. It's not right."

"No! Dad admitted to everything you said. The money, the house, the tuition, everything. And he told me that if you say no to it, and we keep dating, he'll…he will…"

Angel looked closely at her. "He'll what, Buffy?"

"He'll disown me. I will be kicked out of the house, no money and no family. That's why you have to take it."

"Buffy…" he began.

"Listen to me. My father may be a heartless bastard, but he's the only family I have, the only father I'll ever have. It has absolutely nothing to do with the money he has. I don't care about it. I care about you more than any dollar amount. He doesn't understand that, though."

"I still won't leave you."

Buffy stopped walking. "I have a plan; a way for the two of us to be together. I came up with it on the way out of the store. Say yes to him and take the money. Go to Emerson like you've always wanted to."

"I don't understand you. How can we be together if I'm in Massachusetts and you're three thousand miles away in California? It doesn't make sense," he pointed out.

"Just listen to me for a minute while I explain. You'll go to Emerson College in the fall. I'll attend UC Sunnydale like I've planned, and I will transfer to Boston College for the spring semester. My dad will love it because my mother went there; it'll be like I'm following in her footsteps to him. He'll never suspect a thing. Then our sophomore year, I'm sure Dad will let me get an apartment off campus if I complain enough about the dorm situation. And I'll need a roommate. Think about it, Angel, we'll be on the opposite side of the country from him. You and I will have an apartment together. It's perfect, and he'll never be any the wiser."

He shook his head in amazement. "You have this all figured out, don't you?"

"Pretty much."

"Your father is going to find out, Buffy. And then we're back to square one."

"He'll never find out. And even if he does, I won't care. You'll have your money and everything you've ever wanted. Not to mention, when I turn twenty-one, I will come into my mother's trust fund. Angel, I have it all worked out. We'll be together, we'll be happy, whether my dad approves or not. He may be my family, and my father, but there's no way he can run my life. I won't let him. We'll already be settled into a life there. He can't threaten me with disownment or kick me out of my own home. We just have to wait a little while."

Angel closed his eyes. Despite Buffy's plan, part of him knew it wouldn't work. "I'm sorry, but I just can't do it."

"Then do it for me. I love you more than anything in this world. And I honestly believe that if you love something, you should let it go. I'm letting you go, but only for a couple months. It's your chance to fulfill your dream. You made my life-long dream come true the weekend after Prom, Angel, and now it's my turn to make yours come true. Let me make it come true."

At six o'clock that evening, Angel knocked on the door of Mr. Summers' office. A few seconds later, it opened, revealing Jason McKenzie.

"Hey, Angel," he said. "I thought you had tonight off."

"I do. I'm here to talk to Mr. Summers. Is he busy?"

"No, I'm not," Mr. Summers called from inside. "Not too busy to speak to you. Please, come on in, Angel. Jason, may we have some privacy? We have rather private matters to discuss."

Nodding, Jason left the other two men alone. Mr. Summers pointed to a chair, suggesting that Angel have a seat, but he remained standing instead.

"I suppose you are aware that my daughter came by to see me today. Why did you tell her? I thought this was a private matter," the older man wanted to know. "I thought you would have used discretion."

"It affected Buffy, too. I couldn't make an important decision such as this without informing her first. She had to know."

"Fine. Have you decided?"

Angel cast his eyes downward to the ground. "I accept your offer."

Mr. Summers smiled, not noticing the shamed look on Angel's face. 'Now my little girl can be happy. She can have a normal life, now that he'll be out of the picture.' "Very good. You made a wise choice, Angel. I can see that you have a very strong business sense. You'll go far, I'm sure of it."

"I did not do this for me, Mr. Summers. I did this for Buffy. I can't give her what she deserves. And I love her enough to let her go." He used the words Buffy had told him to use; words that would not only impress her father, but would ring true. It had to sound believable.

"Yes, I see that. I admire your honesty in that matter. Let's get straight to business, shall we? You know the terms of our agreement. From this moment on, there is to be no contact between you and Buffy. Neither physical nor on the phone or whatnot. Do not speak to her, write to her or even attempt to contact her in any way. Is that understood? If I find out that you have broken our agreement, all bets are off and I'll take that money away before you have a chance to think about it."

He nodded. "I understand the terms of the agreement."

"Good," Mr. Summers said. "I'll have the papers for the house drawn up and delivered to you in the morning."

As Angel walked out of the building, he thought, 'I certainly hope you know what you're doing, Buffy.'

Three weeks later, Angel and Buffy sat on a blanket at the edge of the woods in Weatherly Park. It was a warm, sunny July day, and she had prepared a picnic lunch for them. Turkey sandwiches on white bread, potato chips, macaroni salad and cans of Pepsi.

"You've outdone yourself again," Angel complimented after he had polished off his second sandwich.

She smiled. "Thank you. But you really can't screw up a turkey sandwich. Even a dummy can make it."

"I wouldn't be able to make a grilled cheese sandwich without setting the house on fire," he told her. "My mom and sister are the cooks, not me."

"Sounds like you're going to have to marry a good cook or else you'll starve to death." Buffy paused for a moment. "How's your mom doing? Any better?"

The previous week, Mrs. Riches had been admitted to Sunnydale General Hospital with a fever of one-oh-four. She'd had an allergic reaction to the medications she was on. "Much better, she's back to her old self again. Which means yelling at me and Missy. Actually, she was asking about you yesterday during dinner."

Buffy's face lit up. In the two months since she and Angel had been dating, she'd come to think of Mrs. Riches as a mother-figure, and she loved her as if she were her mother. "Really? She was?"

He nodded his head. "Yep. Mom wanted to know what you've been up to. And how you are handling this arrangement with your father."

"Your mom is so sweet. What did you tell her?"

"I told her you have been relaxing this summer, getting ready for college and whatnot. And as for your father…well, you've been coping really well."

"Yeah, considering that I don't talk to him. It still blows my mind that he did that. It's not fair that you and I can only see each other in secret. I had to tell him I was having lunch with Harmony just so I could come here today."

Angel moved so he sat next to Buffy, then pulled her on his lap, stroking her long hair. "You'll only have to lie to him for another month. Then I'm leaving for Massachusetts."

"A month. That's only four more weeks. And not nearly enough time," she complained.

"Technically, I don't leave for six weeks. August twenty-third at eight a.m.."

"Don't say that, Angel," she chastised him. "Then it sounds so final, so definite. I want this summer to go on forever."

"So do I, my beloved," he agreed.

She rested her back more comfortably against him. "I like it when you call me that. It makes me feel so special."

"You are."

"What are you doing tomorrow? Do you want to drive to L.A. with me and do some shopping?" she asked.

"I can't," Angel replied. "I already made plans with Xander and Missy to go to the beach for the day. I'm sorry."

Her face fell. Buffy wanted to spend as much time with him as possible before they had to part. "It's okay. Have fun tomorrow with them."

"You can come with us, if you'd like. I'm sure they won't mind if you tag along."

"You make me sound so wanted," she said, sarcasm dripping from her voice. "But that's okay. I don't want to intrude on your time with them. I am sure they think I'm hogging you all the time."

"Hey! You're my girlfriend and you are not intruding on anything, nor are you hogging me. They aren't going to mind at all."

"Are you sure?" she asked.

A smile played upon his lips. "I am positive. Now, come here." Placing his hand on the nape of her neck, Angel brought his mouth down to hers.

"God, why did she have to come with us?" Melissa whined as the four teenagers made their way along the sandy beach to an open space for them to lay their belongings. She and Xander were walking several paces behind Buffy and Angel. "It's like they're attached at the hip or something. She follows him around like a big, bleached-blonde puppy dog."

"She's a natural blonde, Missy," Xander reminded her.

She scowled. "Oh, shut up. I'm just getting sick of it. Every time I answer the phone, it's her; I open the door, she's there. At dinner, all Angel ever talks about is her. He was never like that with Kelley. It's disgusting and I'm sick of it. Don't get me wrong, Angel's my brother and I love him dearly, but I cannot wait for him to leave for college."

"Wow, what a positive attitude you have," Xander sarcastically commented.

"Bite me."

"Come on, be happy for him. He's with the girl of his dreams, he's happier than he's ever been, he found a way to go to the college of his choice *and* keep supporting you and your mom while he's there. Angel has got it all now and you're complaining about it?"

Melissa sighed. "I am happy for him, Xander, really, I am. I'm thrilled he's going to Emerson, though I still don't understand how it happened." Angel never told his sister about the arrangement with Hank Summers. Instead, he told her that the college was so intent on having him attend in the fall that they'd offered him a well-paying job in the Dean's office to pay off his bills back home. "Although I am *so* hoping he'll meet some nice girl and forget all about the Ice Princess."

"Somehow, I don't think Angel's likely to forget about her. She might be it for him," he told Melissa, pointing to where Buffy and Angel had placed their towels. They were sitting down, Angel rubbing suntan lotion on her back. "It's love."

"Pussy-whipped is more like it."

An hour later, Xander and Angel were wading in the ocean up to their knees when Xander had an idea. "Hey, Angel?"

"What?"

"Do you think the girls would be up for a game of chicken?" he asked. "It could be fun."

"I'm game, but let's ask them. Though I know for a fact that Missy'll love the idea. She loved it when we played that with Kelley. Although I think she just enjoyed the idea of being able to push her around."

Xander frowned at the memory. "Yeah. I forgot how brutal she can be. Maybe it's not such a good idea after all. Missy isn't exactly Buffy's biggest fan."

"I think Buffy can hold her own. They don't call her the Ice Princess for nothing. She's tough."

The two made their way onshore, heading for the spot where Buffy and Melissa were laying in their bikinis. "Hey, sleeping beauties!" Xander shouted, shaking his head, spraying water on them in the process.

Melissa shot up immediately. "Ew! That is so gross, Xander. Now I'm covered in your sweat."

Next to her, Buffy just laughed. She found the young man's antics amusing. "What's up?"

"You girls up for a game of chicken?" he wanted to know.

"Count me in," Melissa said, her eyes sparkling with mischief. 'Now I have an excuse to slap the little bitch senseless.'

"Buffy?" Angel asked.

She nodded. "All right. Sounds like fun."

The four teenagers jumped into the water, swimming until they were waist-deep in the ocean. Melissa and Buffy climbed respectively on the shoulders of Xander and Angel. "Ready?" Angel wanted to know, rubbing his girlfriend's ankle.

"Uh-huh. Bring it on."

Melissa started the fight right away, giving Buffy a hard shove to the shoulders. It took her off-guard at first, but she retaliated with just as much strength. There was no way Buffy was going to let Melissa Riches get the best of her. She'd let that happen for far too long; now it was her turn to come out on top.

Buffy blocked almost every one of Melissa's blows, although a few were aimed for her face. In her own offensive strategy, she'd managed to almost knock the girl off Xander's shoulders a few times. Without warning, Melissa grabbed a handful of Buffy's hair and yanked with all her might.

"Ow!" she yelled.

Shrugging, Melissa grinned. "Don't be such a whiner, Buffy. It's only hair, it'll grow back eventually."

"Okay, I think maybe we should stop now," suggested Angel, making eye contact with his best friend. Things were getting too rough for his liking. "Don't you think, Xander?"

"Good idea. I'm getting hungry anyway."

Melissa pouted. "You're always hungry, Xand. I wanna finish this." With one last push, she effectively knocked Buffy off of her perch.

She fell to the water with a crash, sinking underneath. In the wake of her fall, Buffy inhaled a mouthful of water, filling her lungs with fluid. Her eyes closed as she sank to the bottom.

"I win!" the other girl cheered. "I totally kicked Buffy's ass!"

"You were playing too rough, Missy," Angel told her. "It was supposed to be fun, yet you were out for blood."

"It's not my fault your girlfriend's a wimp."

Xander looked around. "Speaking of Buffy, where is she? Shouldn't she have come up by now?"

Panic seized hold of Angel's body. She hadn't yet resurfaced. Scanning the clear blue water, he caught sight of her bright red bathing suit under the water. "Oh my god," he said. "She's at the bottom." Without stopping to think, Angel dove under to her limp, lifeless body.

He dove without thinking; no thoughts were necessary. This was instinct, and the primal voice in his head told him that he needed to get to Buffy, needed to get her out of the water. It was the only thing on his mind: saving Buffy. She was his love, his life, and there was no way he would lose her because of his sister's unnecessary act of maliciousness.

Angel reached her within seconds. She'd only been under for maybe twenty seconds, but he knew well-enough that drowning only takes an instant. He was shocked by what he saw: her eyes were closed, her arms floated at her sides and her face was deathly pale. 'I have to get her to the shore. She needs air,' Angel reminded himself. Grabbing her by the waist, he swam toward the light, gasping for breath when he broke the surface.

"Is she alright?" Xander asked when the two resurfaced.

Angel shook his head. "I don't know. We have to get her to the shore. I'm not sure if she's breathing."

Only a few feet away, Melissa dropped her jaw in amazement. "You guys are actually falling for this? She's just faking it. Buffy wants your sympathy and attention. They're all like that. Don't you see? You're both falling for it."

Her brother didn't hear her, he'd already begun swimming for shore with the still-unconscious Buffy in his arms. Xander, however, did hear every word she said. "You have a lot of nerve, Melissa. Sometimes I wonder about you."

"What?" she replied innocently.

"You are so cold-hearted. What happened to the nice, caring girl I grew up with? The one I had a crush on for years? Is she even there anymore?"

"Xander, you're overreacting."

"Then you're underreacting. Hasn't it occurred to you that Buffy could be seriously hurt?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "Like I said, she's faking for the attention."

"You can't fake that blue color in her face. Missy, you know what? Don't talk to me. Until you get over this complex you have about Buffy, pretend you don't even know me. Because I don't want to associate with someone like you."

Meanwhile, Angel reached the shore, still carrying Buffy. He laid her down on the warm, dry sand, then checked to see if she was breathing. His breath caught in his throat when he discovered that she wasn't.

A nearby lifeguard ran over. "What happened?" he wanted to know.

"She–she fell in the water and didn't come back up. I found her on the bottom," Angel explained, barely able to get the words out. He was scared half to death. 'What if she doesn't start breathing again? What if Buffy doesn't wake up?' "Is she okay?"

The lifeguard was already kneeling on the sand with his ear only inches from Buffy's nose and mouth. "How long has she been unconscious?"

"I don't know. A minute, maybe. Is she okay?" he repeated.

The young man opened Buffy's mouth, pressed his own against it and started to give her mouth-to-mouth. After a second, he pushed on her chest. Angel only stared in pain; he felt so useless. 'This is all my fault. If only I hadn't pushed Buffy into playing that childish game with us. God, I should have known Melissa would take things too far. And the girl I love is paying the price.'

Angel was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he didn't notice Xander and his sister approach, nor did he see the people standing nearby, watching the scene. All he could see was Buffy laying helpless on the sand and the lifeguard trying to resuscitate her.

After thirty seconds of CPR, Buffy's eyes opened. Water spewed out of her mouth onto the sand. Angel thanked whoever was looking out for them for not taking her away so soon. When she could focus her eyes, the first person she saw was a handsome, yet unfamiliar man with short blonde hair and tanned skin.

"Am I in heaven? Did I die?" she asked softly. "Who are you? An angel?"

The young man smiled, but shook his head. "No, you're very much alive. And I'm not an angel. My name is Riley." 'Good Lord, she's pretty,' he thought.

"Good." She turned her head to the right. "Xander?"

"Hey, Buff. You scared the hell out of us."

"Why aren't you Angel?"

He laughed. 'Typical. A pretty girl acknowledges my existence and she wonders why I'm not Angel. It never fails. I have got to get myself an ugly best friend.' "Sorry to disappoint you. He's right behind you."

"Angel?" she called, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Right here, Buffy," Angel told her, moving into her line of vision. He turned his attention to Riley, the lifeguard who'd saved Buffy's life. "Thank you so much. You saved her."

"Just doing my job. Be careful out there next time."

"I'll make sure she's safe."

Riley walked away, the rest of the crowd leaving with him. As far as they were concerned, the excitement was over. The only people who remained with Buffy were Angel, Xander and Melissa.

"Are you okay?" Angel questioned his girlfriend.

She nodded her head, sitting up with Angel's help. "Yeah, I think. Just really embarrassed is all."

"Easy to understand."

"I hate to ask you this, but do you think you can take me home? I really don't want to be here anymore."

"Sure. Just let me go get the car. You stay right there and don't move."

Melissa huffed. "That's not fair. I want to stay. I'm not ready to go home yet."

Angel glared at his sister. At that point in time, she wasn't his favorite person and he could have cared less what she wanted. "Well, get over it. We're going. If you want to stay, fine. But you can find your own way home."

Xander and Angel left to pack up their belongings, leaving Buffy alone with Melissa. "I certainly hope you're happy now, Buffy," Melissa said. "You've managed to ruin my entire day."

"I don't really care. You practically killed me out there. I hope *you're* happy," the blonde retorted. "I do not know why you are constantly trying to hurt me. Is it because you're jealous of me?"

"Me? Jealous of you? Pfft. Would you contemplate getting over yourself for a minute? Not everything is always about you."

"Then what is it? You're miserable, so everyone around you has to be miserable too?"

"Angel can do so much better than you. I can't wait for him to leave for school. Maybe he'll smarten up and find himself a nice, normal girlfriend."

"I'm sorry you don't approve of me. From what I've heard, you have that problem with all of your brother's girlfriends. Is it against your nature to get along with anyone he cares about who isn't you?" Buffy asked.

"If my brother wasn't about to come back, I'd slap you for that."

"I won't stop you. Go right ahead."

Melissa laughed. "Why? So you can go running back to Angel and play 'poor little rich girl' all over again? I won't give you the satisfaction. You're just a phase for him. Something he'll grow out of…like bed-wetting. Once he gets to Emerson, he'll meet some great girl and forget all about you. You'll be a memory. And too far away to warrant any real threat to his happiness."

"You think so, huh? I suppose I should be worried, but you know what? I'm not. Angel loves me and vice versa. Not to mention the fact that I'll be there with him." She noted the look of surprise on Melissa's face. "Oh, you didn't know that? Yeah, I'll be joining Angel in Massachusetts for the spring semester, after I transfer to Boston College. Think of it this way, in a couple years, I might be your sister-in-law. Imagine that."

"My brother has more sense than that," the brunette argued. "He'll never marry you."

"Really? Well, he told me so himself after graduation. Said he wants to be with me forever, that he'll love me for the rest of his life. He wants to marry me and wants to be a father. To *my* children, Melissa. No one else's."

Angel and Xander returned before Melissa had a chance to reply. "Are you ready to go, Buffy?" Angel asked her.

"Yeah. Thank you."

"I'm just glad you're okay. I don't know what I'd do if something had happened to you out there."

"Oh god," his sister muttered.

"Shut up. This is all because of you, I hope you know that," he accused. "Are you coming or are you staying here by yourself?"

She frowned. "I guess I'm coming with you." 'Bitch,' she swore. 'You'll definitely get what's coming to you. Eventually, I'll prove my brother wrong.'

"Angel, there's really no need for this," Buffy said to him after he'd carried her to her bedroom and placed her on the bed. "You don't have to treat me like I'm some fragile piece of glass."

"There *is* need for it. You almost drowned out there today, and it's partially my fault. I want to make it up to you."

"It wasn't your fault, so stop blaming yourself. It was an accident, they happen occasionally. Besides, I'm fine."

He sat down on the bed next to where he'd laid her down. "No, you only think you're fine. Just get some rest, Buffy; at least for today. Promise me. Stay in bed."

"Will you stay with me?"

"Sure."

She rested her head on his shoulder. "Aside from the whole drowning thing, I had a really good time with you guys. Xander's a really funny guy. Is he seeing anyone?"

"Why? Are you interested in dating him?" Angel joked.

"Not me. I'm perfectly happy with the boyfriend I've got now. But I was thinking…maybe Xander and Cordy could hook up."

Uncontrollable laughter came out of Angel's mouth. "You have got to be kidding me. Xander Harris and Cordelia Chase? No offense, but I don't see that happening. Ever."

"Why not?"

"First of all, they're too different. Cordelia's very upper-crust and Xander is as down-to-earth as they come. We're talking about total opposite ends of the spectrum."

"The same could be said for us."

"Yeah, but they weren't pushed together by fate, and unfortunately in this case, Xander hasn't been in love with Cordelia his entire life," he responded. "Might hinder the relationship a bit."

"Fate doesn't have to push them, we could. Can't we at least run the idea by them first before you say no for him?"

He shrugged. "You can try. But I gotta warn you, Xander's had a thing for Missy since we were kids."

"Missy's a bitch," Buffy said, harshly. "Look, I know she's your sister, but she's still a bitch."

"She's not on my list of favorite people right now either. I don't know what her problem is, but she had better get over it real soon."

She placed her hand on his cheek. "Forget it. She and I will never get along and that's okay. It's a fact of life that some people are destined to despise each other." Buffy decided to change the subject. "Come on, what do you say? Wanna help me play Cupid for Xander and Cordy?"

He never had a chance to answer. "Buffy?" her father called from the other side of the door. "Is that you in there?"

"Oh shit," Angel mumbled. "Now what?"

"Hide in the closet and be very quiet," she hissed. "Don't come out until I tell you to."

Angel did as he was told. With a deep breath, she said, "Come on in!"

Mr. Summers entered the room. "Hi, honey. Who were you talking to? I heard voices."

"No one. I had the television going," Buffy lied.

"I thought you were going to the beach with your friends. Did your plans change?" her father wanted to know.

"No, we went. I-I left early."

He narrowed his eyes. "Did something happen? Do you want to talk about it?"

"With you? I don't think so."

"Sweetie, I understand that you're still mad at me. But you have to know I did it for your own good."

"Whatever. I left because I saw him there. Angel, with his sister and best friend. Seeing him was too much for me to handle. Are you happy now?" she threw at him.

"Of course not, I hate seeing you like this. I know you think you love him, but you'll get over him and meet someone else." Mr. Summers chose his words carefully for what he was about to ask. "Did Angel attempt to speak to you at all?"

"No. He's keeping up his end of the agreement. He saw me and turned the other way. Look, did you come in here for a reason or did you just want to play Twenty Questions?"

He sighed. "I wondered why you were home, that's all."

"Fine. You can leave now."

One full minute after Mr. Summers exited the room, Buffy figured it was safe for Angel to come out. "Okay," she told him. "He's gone."

"That was close," he commented as he stepped out of the closet.

"Uh-huh. God, what a bastard."

"He's your father, Buffy."

"I hate him."

Angel sat back down on the bed. "That's not fair. You shouldn't hate your father."

"Why not? You hate yours."

"That is different. My father left my mother high and dry with two children to support. He doesn't call or even write to see how she is, or how we are. We don't matter to him. If I passed him on the street, I wouldn't even acknowledge that he is my father. I don't think he ever really cared about us. But your dad loves you. It's obvious."

"He has a funny way of showing it. Paying off my boyfriend to stay away from me. Yeah, that's a real show of love. And how can you defend him after what he's done?"

"Buffy…"

"Forget it. Let's just drop it, okay? Please, Angel."

"All right. But we do have a problem."

"What's that?"

He smiled sheepishly. "Getting me out of your house without your father seeing me."

"Oh yeah. We'll manage."

"I cannot believe I let you talk me into this," Cordelia complained when she and Buffy entered the Bronze. "What on earth was I thinking when I said yes?"

"Because you haven't had a date since the Prom," reminded Buffy with a knowing smile.

"By choice, thank you very much. Things could have been quite nice if Marcus hasn't tried to put his hands up my dress in the limo afterwards. God, what a pervert." She shuddered at the memory.

"Well, I can almost guarantee that Xander won't try anything like that. You guys are going to get along great."

Cordelia laughed shortly. "I don't know about that…me and Xander Harris? Can you say 'total opposites'?"

"You're starting to sound like Angel did when I brought up the idea last week. Come on, you're never gonna know until you try. What do you say? No harm, no foul."

"Yeah, easy for you to say. You hit a grand slam with your boyfriend. His cuteness factor alone makes up for the lack of money and prestige."

"Fine, I'll make you a deal. If you start to feel uncomfortable, you and I will leave and go back to my house to watch a movie. But you have to give Xander a chance. No complaining after five minutes. Promise me, Cordy," Buffy said.

"All right."

Buffy led her best friend to the table where Angel and Xander were sitting. She couldn't help but grimace when she saw Melissa sitting with them. Neither had laid eyes upon one another since the incident at the beach the previous week. If anything, they had avoided each other.

Sucking in a breath, Buffy plastered a smile on her face. "Hi, guys."

Angel stood up and kissed her softly on the cheek. "Hey, you. I was worried you weren't going to show."

"Sorry. It took a little longer than I thought to convince Cordy to come."

"She's here, so I guess it's a mission completed."

"Thanks to a lot of arm twisting, begging, pleading and bribing. She's not exactly down with the whole idea."

"Neither was Xander."

She cast a sidelong glance toward his sister. "I don't want to sound rude or anything, but why is Melissa here? I thought after Prom she decided it would be better if she and Xander were just friends. Did she change her mind?"

He gave her a half-smile. "Moral support, or so she says. That, and she mentioned something about apologizing to you for what she pulled at the beach last week."

She widened her green eyes. "Did hell freeze over and I missed it?"

"Just sit down."

Both of them took a seat, and silence followed. Cordelia and Xander simply sat, staring at the table, while Buffy and Angel waited patiently for one of them to begin speaking. After a long, quiet five minutes, Buffy decided she couldn't take it any longer. She kicked her friend's leg under the table.

"Ow! What was that for?" she demanded.

Buffy motioned forward with her hands. "Don't just sit there. Talk to the guy."

Sighing heavily, she started to strike up a conversation with him. "So, Xander, where are you going to school in the fall?"

"I'm not."

"Really? Why?"

He frowned. "I'm not the scholastic type like Angel is over there. Starting in September, I'll be working for my uncle's construction company."

Cordelia raised her eyebrows. "What kind of construction?"

"The usual. Building patios and sheds and stuff like that. Nothing too exciting."

"You know, my parents have been thinking about putting in a pool house. You know, like Buffy has? Maybe I can talk them into hiring you and your uncle."

"That would be…wow."

As the two were talking, Buffy leaned over and whispered in Angel's ear. "I told you they'd get along famously, Mr. Cynical."

"Yeah yeah. I suppose you want to brag about it now," he said jokingly.

"You suppose right."

"Okay, I'm dying of thirst," Buffy stated half an hour later. "Anybody want anything to drink while I'm up there?"

"Coke."

"Water."

"Sprite with a twist of lemon."

Buffy laughed. "You *do* know that I only have two hands, right? Who is going to help me carry all this stuff?"

Melissa stood up. "I'll help. I'm getting kind of stir crazy anyway, just sitting here doing nothing. Could definitely use a walk to the concession stand."

The two walked in complete silence to the refreshment counter, still uneasy around one another. The line was long, so they had to wait.

"Buffy, I owe you an apology," Melissa said.

"What for?"

"For what I did last week. I was completely out of line for saying the stuff I said and for doing what I did. Never once did it cross my mind that you might get hurt. It was never my intention."

She nodded. "I accept your apology. As long as you accept mine. I said some pretty nasty things out there, too."

Melissa extended her hand. "Friends?"

Buffy looked at it for a moment, unsure of what to think. Here was the girl who teased and tormented her for years, offering friendship. "Friends," she repeated, shaking her hand.

"Great, now that that's out of the way, you have to tell me something. How did you manage to convince my brother to go to Emerson? It was pretty definite that he wasn't going."

"Believe me, it took some work. But I made him see that if he didn't go, there'd be no way for us to be together," Buffy explained.

"Why's that?"

"If he'd said no to my dad's offer, my father would have disowned me. Angel didn't want that, so we figured out this way. It was the only way. So, come January, I'll be in Massachusetts with him."

"This is unbelievable," Buffy said to Angel when they were dancing later that night. "Cordy and Xander are actually getting along, and Melissa apologized and wants to be my friend."

"Life is strange that way, I guess."

She rested her head below his shoulder. "But not this. This feels so right; perfect even. Someone up there must really like me for letting me be this happy."

"Well then, somebody up there likes me too," Angel agreed.

He felt a tap on his right shoulder. Turning his head, he saw Parker Abrams standing a foot behind him. "Parker," he muttered unhappily. "What do you want?"

The young man smiled. "Mind if I cut in?"

"It's not up to me, it's Buffy's decision."

"Buffy?" Parker asked.

She looked into Angel's eyes. "Do you really mind?" she wanted to know.

"Like I said, it's up to you."

"Just for this song, then," she said to Angel. "And then we can go somewhere private. It's been so long since we've had some time alone together. Just the two of us."

"One dance, you promise?"

"One dance. I have a feeling he'll keep bugging us all night if I don't say yes."

Angel planted a kiss on her forehead. "Okay, I'll be right over there if you need me."

Parker barely let Angel leave Buffy's side before he pulled her into his own embrace and swept her away from her boyfriend, into the middle of the crowded dance floor. He wanted as much space between the two as possible.

"How has summer vacation been treating you?" he asked.

"It's been fine so far. Nothing to complain about. What about you? I heard about you breaking up with Kelley."

He shrugged his shoulders. "She wasn't as committed as I was. Kelley wanted what she couldn't have. But she was fun while she lasted," Parker said to her. "Speaking of lasting relationships, you and Angel have been together for quite a while now."

"Two and a half months."

"Wow. Well, Buffy, when he starts to bore you, you can always come to me."

She was taken aback. "Excuse me?"

"I've had my eye on you for some time now, Summers. And the way I figure it, Angel's gotta be boring you out of your pretty little mind. At least that's what Kelley said about him. All talk and no action, that's why she came to me. I know how to keep a girl happy."

"Parker, you wouldn't have the faintest idea how to keep me happy," she replied. "You don't know me or what I need. Angel does. So, if you're trying to make it two-for-two with stealing his girlfriends, I'm telling you right now that your streak is over. This girl isn't interested."

"Give me a break. A guy like him doesn't have what it takes to keep a girl like you happy. You crave excitement; heat and passion. A goody-goody Mama's boy like Angel Riches doesn't have it in him to keep you satisfied."

"What do you mean by 'a girl like me'? What's that supposed to mean?"

Parker smiled seductively. "A beautiful, vivacious, rich, sexy girl. One who has been around the block more than a few times. He can't give you what you need, a poor loser like him." He snapped his fingers. "I get it now. This is a game for you, isn't it? To see how long it'll take you to get Virgin Boy into bed with you. You're in for a long wait, Buffy. But I'm willing to help you out next time you have an itch that needs scratching."

"Go to hell, Parker." With that, she lifted her knee up with all her might, connecting it with his groin. "Scratch *that* itch, you sick pervert."

She stalked off the dance floor, walking to where Angel was waiting for her. "What happened out there?" he wanted to know.

Turning her head, she glanced back onto the dance floor. Parker was kneeling on the ground, his face red and his hands clutching his groin. "He had an itch, so I scratched it for him."

"Huh?"

"I kicked him in the balls for trying to come on to me. Let's go, I have some pent-up energy I need to release."

Buffy dropped her head on Angel's chest while he covered them up with the blanket he kept in his back seat. She snuggled tighter into his embrace, wrapping her arms around him.

"I'm exhausted," she whispered.

He ran his hand through her damp hair. "Sorry," he apologized to her.

"Why are you apologizing? I'm not sorry, believe me. It's a good exhausted feeling. One I wouldn't trade for the world."

"I have to agree with that."

"You know, Cordy and Xander went on their first official date tonight," she told him. "I don't think I've ever seen her so nervous. You'd think she's going out with the Crown Prince of England something like that."

"It surprised the hell out of me. Even now, the mere idea of Xander Harris and Cordelia Chase being a couple is still strange."

Buffy smiled. "And I am sure that people said the same thing on Prom night when I showed up on your arm. I hope they prove all the cynics wrong, just like we did."

"You can't do anything more than hope for the best," Angel said flatly. "But not everything works out the way it's planned."

Something in her boyfriend's tone bothered Buffy. She couldn't put her finger on it, but something was off. "Is everything okay? You kind of seem out of it today."

"It's nothing." He slid himself out from underneath her into a sitting position. Reaching onto the floor of his back seat, Angel grabbed the jeans he'd been wearing and began to get dressed.

Buffy sat up as well, but kept the worn blanket around her as she watched him. "No, you have something face. What is it? You know you can tell me anything."

"I know."

"Then why won't you tell me?"

He shook his head. "It's just…I fucking *hate* this!" Angel shouted, throwing his fist against the car door in his rage. "This isn't right, and it's sure as hell not fair to me, or to you, either."

His show of anger frightened her a bit, but not enough to make her leave his side. Buffy knew he'd never lay a hand on her in anger. "What isn't right? Tell me."

"This whole arrangement with your father. I'm so aggravated with this sneaking around shit he's forcing us to do. I don't give a rat's ass about the money, or what he thinks, for that matter. He's not going to run my life anymore. I've decided. He can have it all back, everything he gave me. I don't want it any longer."

"Angel, no. You can't do that. It'll be the end, I just know it. This is the only way," she argued, tears stinging her eyes. Buffy knew how stubborn he could be, and she had to change his mind any way she could.

"This is the only way?" Angel repeated while pulling his white t-shirt over his head. "Sneaking out, lying to your father is the only way? Maybe it's only me, but I think you deserve better than having sex in the back seat of a car. At the very least, you should have a bed. It's degrading, this whole situation. I can't do it anymore."

"Please. Think about what you're doing. Not only are you giving up the money, but in a way, you're giving up on me, too."

"I'm not giving up on you," Angel disagreed. "No. If he does decide to punish you for this, then it's his loss. Let him kick you out of his house and disown you. I'll take care of you. Buffy, you can live with my family, I know my mother won't mind; she adores you. There's plenty of room. Hell, you can have my room and I'll move into the basement."

"Do you think that's all that matters to me? His money? It doesn't. And I'm not doing this for me, I'm doing it for you. This is about making your dream come true; seeing to it that you have every opportunity to make that dream of being a writer become reality. And if, in order to do that, I have to sneak around behind my father's back to be with the man I love, then I'm more than willing to take that risk.

"What we have, Angel, is worth fighting for. I waited for three-quarters of my life to be with you, do you honestly believe I'm going to let you go? Not a chance. And when we're together, like we just were, I don't need a bed or pillows or candles and romantic music. I just need you. It's the person I'm with, not the place I'm in."

He sighed. "I feel like it cheapens what we have when we have to park in the woods and hide from the world when we make love. There's no romance."

"Of course there is. I see it."

"Then you have better eyesight than I do."

"Is that what you want? Romance?"

Angel nodded. "That's part of it. I feel like we lost it along the way somewhere; through all this secrecy. And I want to get it back while we still can."

"Then we will. When's your last day of work at the store?" she wanted to know.

He had to think for a moment. "A week from tomorrow. Your father conveniently arranged it so I'd have two weeks to pack up my stuff and get the hell out of town."

"And when do classes begin?"

"Thursday the twenty-third. But I'm leaving on the twentieth to settle in and attend orientation. Why?" he asked suspiciously.

"Well, you wanted romance, right? How about you and I take a romantic weekend for two? Leave on the Thursday before you leave and come back on Sunday morning…it'll be perfect," suggested Buffy.

"Where do you have in mind?"

She smiled. "What's more romantic than the beach house? Especially to us."

"What about your father? Won't he be suspicious of you going away right before I leave?"

"Nope. Dad's going on a two-week trip to London for business, it's been planned for months now. Some big merger or something to that effect. We'll be free and clear. I'll tell him I'm going on a little vacation with the Chases."

"Is he gonna believe you?"

Buffy shrugged. "He doesn't have any reason not to. Besides, I've gone on trips with them before, and Cordy will cover for me. What do you say?"

"Let me clear it with my mom first. I don't want her to be left alone if I'm going to be gone."

"If she says no, you can always stay at my house for the weekend. Either way, I guarantee romance. Now come here. I don't have to be home for another half an hour."

"So, you'll do it?" Buffy asked Cordelia the following day as they were laying on the Summers' pool deck tanning themselves in the warm California sun. "Really?"

"Yeah, why not? Anything for the sake of true love," Cordelia replied dramatically.

"You are the best friend ever!"

"I try. But you have to promise me one thing, Buffy."

She raised her eyebrows. 'There's always a catch, even with Cordelia. It never fails.' "What? Do you want my firstborn?"

"Ew! God no. Yuck. No, what I want is details. You were rather vague the first time you went away with him. This time I want you to tell me everything."

"Why don't I videotape the entire weekend for you?"

"No thank you. That classifies as too much information, and I would prefer not to have the visuals. The way I figure it, if I'm not getting any, I have to live vicariously through you. Since you're getting more than the average hooker."

"Angel and I do *not* have sex that much!" Buffy exclaimed.

"Oh please," Cordelia scoffed. "I'm not stupid. It's not like I'm mad about it, I'm happy for you. Just be careful."

"Now you're starting to sound like a mother. He and I are always careful. The last thing I need – or want – is a baby right now."

She nodded in understanding. "I know. You guys have fun."

"We will. Wanna go shopping with me this weekend? I have to drive to Los Angeles for a new outfit. Something sexy he hasn't already seen me in."

Cordelia laughed. "Why bother? It's just gonna end up on the floor anyway."

Angel looked at his wristwatch. 'Only fifteen more minutes,' he thought, 'and then I'm out of here. For good.' It was his last day of work at the department store before he left for school. Although exciting, it was depressing as well. He'd been working there for three years, it had become almost a second home to him, and a part of Angel was disappointed about leaving. But another, larger part was thrilled that he would never have to stand behind a cash register again.

There was nobody else working with him; he'd sent Liz home an hour earlier because business had been slow. They had exchanged their goodbyes and she left.

He broke out of his reverie when a customer came to his register. Inside, he rejoiced. It was Buffy. But he innately knew he had to play it cool. Her father was in his office, with video cameras pointed in their direction, Angel was sure of it. "Hi," he said.

A bright smile lit up her face. "Hi. You don't look happy to see me. What's up?"

"Your father is upstairs."

"So?"

"He's got security cameras everywhere, including one pointed right where you're standing. Don't smile or he might suspect something," Angel advised.

She wiped the smile right off her face, replacing it with a fallen look instead. "Sorry. He must be tying up loose ends before he leaves tomorrow afternoon."

"Probably. Try not to make eye contact and when you leave, pretend to be upset."

"I don't have to pretend, I'm always upset when I leave you."

Angel rang up her purchase and put everything in bags. "It's all set. I added it to your father's tab."

"Thanks."

"See you tomorrow."

"'Kay. He leaves at noon, so I'll call after he's gone," Buffy told him.

Angel had to wrestle with himself when she walked away. He didn't want her out of his sight. 'Only five more minutes. No more pretending to be Mr. Miserable whenever Buffy walks through the door. And then Mr. Summers won't be watching me like a hawk either.'

"Hey, man," Jason said, stepping in his checkout line. "Last day, huh?"

He nodded his head. "Yeah."

"Look, I don't want you to take this the wrong way, but I'm gonna miss you. In a purely non-sexual way, of course."

"I'll miss you, too. We've had some good times these past few years," agreed Angel. "I'm sorry I have to leave."

"You're lucky to be getting out of this town, going to some great college on the East Coast, never having to look back or even come back."

Angel laughed. "You make it sound like I'm never coming back to Sunnydale. I have family and friends here, you know."

"And a beautiful girl who's still very much in love with you," Jason reminded him.

"Who? Kelley? It's long over between us. She knows it."

The manager shook his head. "No, not her. I'm talking about Buffy Summers. I don't know why you two broke up, but it's pretty obvious to the average observer that she's not over you. The look of love and adoration was all over her face a few minutes ago."

"Some people aren't meant to be."

"Must have been one rough breakup. She looked utterly devastated when she left. Buffy seemed really hurt. Was it really that bad?" he wanted to know.

"It's complicated and you wouldn't understand."

Jason nodded. "Probably not. Oh well. Good luck at school and don't forget us little people when you're a famous writer."

"Like you'd let me forget."

As he was about to walk out the door after his final shift ended, Angel was stopped by Mr. Summers.

"May I have a word with you in my office, Angel?" Buffy's father asked.

Nodding his head, Angel followed the older man into his office. "What do you want?" he questioned after the door had been closed behind him.

"You don't beat around the bush, do you? Anyway, with this being your last day here, I thought you and I should go over some things. Lord only knows when we'll see each other again. Quite possibly never."

Angel narrowed his eyes into thin slits. "You'd love that, wouldn't you? To never have to see me again, thus guaranteeing I'd never see your daughter again either."

"You make it sound so personal. It's not, I have nothing against you as a person. I'm certain you'd be wonderful to my Buffy; love and cherish her like she should be. And perhaps if you were of better breeding, I'd be rooting for the two of you," Mr. Summers informed him.

"If I were of better breeding?" Angel repeated. "You make me sound like a dog. But I'm not. The only problem you have with me is who my father is and the amount of money in my bank account."

"True enough. While we're on the subject, Angel, you will find that your bank account has had a large deposit added yesterday. Three and a half million dollars, to be exact."

"Why the other half million?" he skeptically asked. "I thought we agreed on three million."

Mr. Summers clasped his hands across his desk. "You'll find that I'm a man of promises, and when someone keeps a promise to me, they are rewarded handsomely for it. Having kept your end of our bargain, I felt you deserved a reward."

"I don't want any rewards."

"Do you know how I know you've been faithful to our agreement? My daughter. She hasn't mentioned you since July. And when she was here just a little while ago, I watched her. I saw the look on her face. Heartbroken. That's how I know."

"And that warrants a reward? Watching her walk around with a broken heart?" Angel challenged. 'Is this man for real?'

"The pain will be temporary until I find someone suitable for her. But let us get back to the matter at hand. I procured a safety deposit box at Sunnydale Nation Bank with all your papers in it." He handed Angel a key. "Everything's in order. Send any bills here to the store. You are never to contact me by telephone; the same goes for my daughter."

He stood up. "I wish you luck, then."

Angel only glared at the man. "I don't want your luck. I believe in fate. Some things are destined to happen, regardless of human interference. I'd like you to remember that in the future."

The following week and a half went by smoothly. Mr. Summers left for London the day after his talk with Angel, leaving the couple free to spend their last two weeks together. As planned, they arrived at the Summers' beach house Thursday evening, choosing to stay only until Saturday afternoon so that Angel could spend his last day in Sunnydale with his mother and sister.

"Here we are. Again," Buffy announced once she unlocked the back door.

"Yep."

She turned to face him. "Ready to begin our romantic holiday?"

"You know I didn't just come here for that, Buffy," Angel said. "It's not about…you know, having sex for the next two days. I wanted to be alone with you. Away from annoying family members, ringing telephones and all those other distractions we constantly have to deal with."

"There's no need to convince me, I already know this. That's exactly why I suggested we come here. So, tell me, what do you want to do first?"

Angel shrugged. "I'll let you decide."

She thought for a moment. 'I don't want to say we should go to bed because that might make him think the only reason I came up here with him was to *literally* be with him.' "Do you wanna watch a movie? There isn't a whole lot to do up here at night. I'm sure you already know that, though."

"Sure. Did you bring any movies with you?"

Buffy nodded. "Just in case, I brought a cute little romantic comedy. Cordy and I went to see it when it first came out."

"And what movie would that be?"

"What Women Want. Have you seen it?"

"No. But Missy did, and she said she really liked it. So we can watch that if you want to."

She smiled. "Great. Let's get dressed for bed and we can make popcorn and then watch it."

Two hours later, Angel sat on the couch, staring at the television in amazement. The movie's credits were rolling and he couldn't get over how much he'd enjoyed it. Mel Gibson had never been one of his favorite actors, but Angel couldn't help but like him after watching the movie.

'What an amazing gift to have,' he pondered. 'Being able to read people's thoughts. Especially women's. What I wouldn't give to be able to hear what Buffy is thinking right now. Is she thinking about me?'

When he looked to the right side of the couch, he saw his girlfriend sleeping with her head resting on a white throw pillow. The sight brought a smile to his face. 'So beautiful, so peaceful and sweet and innocent. How can anyone not love her?'

Despite his yearnings to be with her, Angel picked her up off the couch and carried her to the bedroom, where he covered her up with the heavy green comforter. He didn't have the heart to wake her up, no matter how much he wanted to.

'Maybe I had better go to bed too,' Angel decided. He went into the bathroom to take out his contact lenses and brush his teeth. Five minutes later, he climbed into bed next to Buffy. No sooner had he turned out the lights when she turned over in her sleep, pressing herself against him.

"Good night, love," Angel said before falling asleep himself.

"I still can't believe it," Buffy repeated for the third time that day, shaking her head. "How stupid could I be, falling asleep during the movie like that. Now I've probably ruined our entire weekend."

Angel took a sip of water. It was seven-thirty Friday night and Buffy had prepared the two of them a candlelight dinner. "You didn't ruin anything, I swear it."

"But I had plans for us last night!"

"And how much would you have enjoyed them if you were dead tired? Probably not a lot. You were tired, I understand."

She pouted. "I still feel awful about it."

"You can make it up to me later."

"Oh, I plan on it." She chewed a forkful of spaghetti. "Is everything okay? Do you like the spaghetti and meatballs I made?"

Angel nodded enthusiastically. "It's great. I've said it before and I'll say it again, you're a great cook."

"Thank you."

"So…um, when do classes start at UC Sunnydale?" he wanted to know.

"The day after Labor Day."

"Have you decided what you're going to take yet?"

"Yeah. Well, freshman don't register until next Friday, but I chose all my courses already. English 201, Introduction to Psychology, Survey of Calculus, Photography and Creative Writing. This way when we write back and forth, my letters will actually be interesting to read. I'm going to need to compete with those smart, pretty, creative girls at Emerson who'll be throwing themselves at you."

He smiled adoringly at her. "There's no competition. No Emerson girl could ever hold a candle to you."

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