From where Willow was standing with her boyfriend Oz, she could see the expression of unhappiness on Angel's face. Excusing herself, she walked over to the older man. "It's okay, you know. You don't have to worry about Xander."

"Huh? Excuse me?" he asked, looking up from his drink.

"Sorry. I guess I couldn't help noticing the jealous look on your face. Buffy and Xander, they're only friends, it's all they have ever been and ever will be. Sure, in the beginning he had a huge crush on her, but then he started seeing Cordelia, and now Anya and that was the end of it," Willow explained.

"You think I'm jealous? Of him?"

She nodded her head. "Aren't you?"

Angel thought for a moment. And what he discovered was that Buffy's friend was right. Without realizing it, he was jealous of Xander Harris. "Willow, you're right. I guess I am jealous. Which is strange, because I'm not the jealous type."

"It's okay. Like I said before, you don't have to worry about him. Buffy never thought of him as anything more than a friend. A good friend. She loves you, anyone can see that. She wouldn't have married you if she didn't think you were a great guy."

"You think so?"

Willow smiled at him. "I know so."

"Something is definitely up between my sister and your best friend," Faith commented to Spike as they started dancing.

"You don't have to convince me, love. I've known Angel nearly all my life, and I've never seen him like this. I don't think we're dealing with a fake marriage anymore. He's got it bad."

Faith nodded her head. "I know. Believe me, I recognize the look of a man in love, and it's written all over Angel's face. And Buffy's, too, but she'll never admit it. She told me about this dream she had on New Year's Eve, that she begged him to have sex with her. Makes me wonder…"

"And you don't think it was a dream?"

"No way. Do you see Angel's face right now? He's totally jealous that Buffy's dancing with Xander instead of him. It's gotta be eating him up inside."

Spike gazed at his best friend; Faith was right. "He *is* jealous. I don't think I've ever seen him like that. But then again, if she were my wife, I wouldn't want her dancing with some other guy."

"Are you saying you have a thing for my sister?" accused Faith. The two had started dating a week beforehand.

"No. I've got a thing for you." 'But I wouldn't say not to a ride on the Buffymobile. I *will* have her.'

"Nice party you've got here," Spike complimented to Angel after his dance with Faith ended. "But you don't seem to be enjoying it."

Angel shrugged his broad shoulders. "It's not my party to enjoy. As long as Buffy's having a good time, that's all that matters."

"Are you in love with her?"

The question took Angel by surprise. 'Am I in love with her?' he asked himself. "I thought I was for awhile there, at least until recently. But I came to the conclusion that I was attracted to her because we spent so much time together. Buffy's beautiful and sweet, how could someone not be attracted to her?"

"You tell me. You're the one who almost slept with her on New Year's Eve. And don't try to tell me it was a dream. I know you better than that, and it would explain the brooding you've been doing."

"She got drunk and we almost made love. When she passed out, I stopped; I couldn't go through with it. I could not take advantage of her when she was like that."

"There was, as I remember, a time when you wouldn't have hesitated," Spike reminded him.

He shook his head. "I respect her. She's like a sister to me, nothing more, nothing less. So drop the subject, Spike. I'm not in love with Buffy."

Shortly after they'd returned home from the party at the Bronze, Angel knocked on Buffy's bedroom door. "Is it okay if I come in?" he wanted to know.

"Sure. I'm dressed, come on in."

He entered her room, finding her sitting at the edge of her bed, dressed in lounge pants and black tank top. His breath caught in his throat when he saw how her top hugged every one of her curves. "Can I sit down for a minute?"

"Have a seat. What's up?"

Angel sat down next to her. "I didn't want to give this to you in front of everyone at the party." He handed her a present, wrapped in simple brown paper. "Happy birthday."

She stared at it for several seconds before ripping the paper away, gasping when she saw what it was. "Oh, Angel."

"It's a book of poetry. It belonged to my uncle and I found it shortly after you and Dawn moved in. I went through your book collection and saw that you enjoyed poetry, so I wanted to give it to you." He paused. "Open the inside cover."

Buffy did so, seeing the words ALWAYS, ANGEL written inside. "You shouldn't have."

"I had to."

"No, you didn't. But thank you, it's lovely. You know, Angel, you made this the best birthday I've ever had. I'll never be able to think of a way to repay you."

He smirked. "I'm sure you'll think of something."

"Is there anything else you needed, Mr. McKenzie?" Jenny asked her boss, closing her notebook and clipping her pen to the wire rings.

Angel shook his head. "No, I think I have everything I need. Thanks for all your help today."

"No problem. Can I just say how nice it is to come to work every day and not have to deal with Lilah Morgan? It's been a pleasure to show up here since she left."

"It is, isn't it?" he replied, his face brightening into a smile.

"Do you think it's going to be hard going up against her in court next week? I mean, considering you *did* fire her."

Angel sighed heavily. "No, it won't be. I know all of Lilah's tricks, and I know her weaknesses. The bitch is going down. She doesn't stand a chance."

"You amaze me, you know that? The way you got rid of her…I'm in awe of you, Mr. McKenzie. Really. Paying Montgomery, Jenkins and Walters to offer her a job in Los Angeles, then firing her the day before she got the offer…I could kiss you," Jenny told him. "You are a true genius."

"You don't have to go that far," Angel joked. "Lilah was causing trouble between me and Buffy, and I had to get her away from us. Choosing between Lilah Morgan and my wife was a no-brainer."

"You're right. I give you a lot of credit for kicking her out of here on her ass."

"What can I do for you, Angel?" she asked seductively, watching him as he closed his office door for more privacy.

He walked behind his desk, placing his hands on the oak top. "Well, Lilah, it's not easy to say this. You've been with us for a long time; six years to be exact."

"I know that. I've brought in a lot of clients for this firm."

"Yes, I am aware of that. Which is what makes this even harder. There's no other way to say it other than to just come out with it. In light of recent events, I feel it would be better for this firm if you were no longer a part of it. Therefore, effective immediately, you are fired."

Lilah stared at him, her mouth agape. "Excuse me? Did you just fire me?"

"Yes. You have until the end of the day to pack up your office and be out of the building," Angel informed her.

"You have got to be kidding. You and I just won one of the biggest cases we've ever had today and now you're giving me my walking papers? Where is the loyalty?"

"Tell me where the loyalty is when you come into my bedroom and insult me, and my wife as well," he shot back at her.

"You can't fire me. I won't go."

"Then I'll have you escorted out. Either way, Lilah, your career at Giles and Pryce is over."

"You can't do this to me. I'm a valued employee."

Angel smirked. 'I love my job.' "You *were* a valued employee, Lilah. Now I suggest you leave without making a scene or I'll have one of our armed guards escort you out in handcuffs. The choice is yours."

"I'll get you for this, Angel. You can't fire me for making comments about your wife."

"No, but I can fire you for sexual harassment. Which is what you did in San Francisco when you came into my room naked and propositioned me. Goodbye, Miss Morgan. And don't you ever set foot in this law firm again unless you are with a client," Angel warned.

He laughed. "Thank you. It's been a nice, quiet couple of months without her around."

"Actually, eight months, seventeen days and six-and-a-half hours," Jenny clarified.

"Sounds like you've been keeping count."

"Nobody hated her more than I did."

He glanced at the picture of Buffy sitting on top of his desk; he'd placed it there not long after her birthday. The picture itself had been taken at her party by Willow, a picture of Buffy with her arms wrapped around him, smiling happily at the camera lens. "I think my wife may have you beat there."

"I can't believe she told Buffy you two were sleeping together. What a lying bitch."

"She did."

"At least Buffy didn't buy it. Anybody with halfway decent eyesight can see how much you love your wife."

Angel looked down at the floor. "Buffy's great. This has been the happiest ten months of my life."

"Marriage suits you, boss."

Faith ran into the lobby, breathless from running all the way from her car. She found her sister sitting in a chair, her face buried in her hands. "What happened?"

Sniffling, Dawn looked up. Tears streaked her cheeks as she hiccupped. "Faith, this is my fault. Buffy must hate me. *You're* gonna hate me."

She sat down next to her younger sister. "Nobody hates you. I couldn't understand a word of what you said to me on the phone. Tell me what happened. How's Buffy?"

"I don't know, they haven't told me anything since they finished checking me out. I know she was hurt way worse than I was. She was bleeding a lot." Dawn began sobbing, remembering her sister's bruised face.

"It's okay. B's stronger than most people give her credit for. She'll be fine, just wait and see."

Dawn lifted her head. "What if she isn't fine? What if she's hurt so bad she'll never be the same? Everyone will blame me for it."

"Stop talking like that, Dawn. Now, calm down and tell me exactly what happened this afternoon."

Taking a deep breath, Dawn began her story. "I got detention today for not having my medical emergency card filled out. That's the dumbest reason in the world for having detention, isn't it? On the third day of classes! When I got out of school, it was pouring outside and I didn't want to walk. So I called Buffy and asked her to pick me up. Boy, was she mad at me; you'd think she never got detention before. Anyway, as she was driving me home, this maniac ran a STOP sign and slammed right into the car. It hit the back driver's side." She paused. "If he had crashed right into Buffy's door, she'd probably…s-she might not be…" Dawn couldn't finish the sentence.

"Don't think like that," chastised Faith. "I'm sure Buffy is giving those doctors hell right now."

Dawn laughed in spite of herself. "You're probably right."

"What did Angel say when you told him?" the older sister wanted to know. "He's on his way, right?"

"Oh my god! I didn't even think to call him! God, Faith, Angel is Buffy's husband and I didn't call him. I can't do anything right today. What's wrong with me?" Dawn's lower lip quivered.

"Nothing is wrong with you. Why don't you go call him right now while I find out how Buffy's doing."

She nodded, walking over to the pay phones. Digging a quarter out of her pocket, Dawn dialed the seven digits to her brother-in-law's office.

"Giles and Pryce, Angel McKenzie's office. Jenny speaking, how may I help you?" the secretary answered.

"I need to talk to Angel McKenzie," Dawn said, her heart pounding uncontrollably.

"I'm sorry, but Mr. McKenzie is in the middle of an important meeting at the moment and cannot be interrupted. Can I take a message?"

"This is his sister-in-law Dawn Summers. I *need* to talk to him; it's a family emergency. Something happened to his wife Buffy."

Jenny switched the phone to her other ear. "Hold on a second and I'll get him, Dawn." She burst into her boss's office, everyone in the room staring at her as she entered uninvited. "Mr. McKenzie, you have an important phone call."

"I told you I'm in a meeting and there were to be no interruptions," Angel stated.

"It's your sister-in-law on the phone. She says it's an emergency. The poor girl sounds hysterical. It's about Buffy."

Angel's heart rate climbed, fear coursing through his veins at the thought of there being something seriously wrong with his wife. "Did she say what's wrong?"

The secretary shook her head. "No. But I suggest you take it."

"Excuse me, gentlemen, but I have to take this call." The three other male lawyers exited the room, and Angel picked up the phone once he had his privacy back. "This is Angel. What's wrong?" he asked the girl on the other end of the phone.

"It's Dawn, Angel," she started. "There was an accident a little while ago."

"What kind of an accident?"

"A bad one. Buffy's in the hospital. Faith and I need you here."

"How bad is Buffy?" 'Please, let her be okay,' he prayed silently. 'I'll do anything if she's okay.' He could hear the distant tears in Dawn's voice.

She sniffled. "I don't know. Please get here soon. I'm scared."

"I'll be right there."

Dawn returned to the waiting room, seeing Faith sitting in the chair she herself had vacated when she left to call Angel. Her face looked sad, nearly as sad as it had been over a year ago when their parents were in the hospital. "Faith?" Dawn said in a little girl's voice, fear gripping her heart.

The older girl stood up, wiping the sad look from her face. "Dawnie, sit down."

"Something's wrong; Buffy's the only person who calls me 'Dawnie.' What did the nurse say to you?"

"She is in surgery right now. Apparently, her appendix ruptured from the impact of the crash," Faith told her younger sister. "So, she has to have an appendectomy to keep the poison from getting into her bloodstream."

Dawn needed to take a deep breath before sitting down. "Poison? She's got poison in her? How?"

"The appendix is full of harmful toxins, that's why some people need to have it removed when it gets enlarged, so that way it doesn't rupture. But in Buffy's case, it didn't just get enlarged, it actually burst."

"Could she die?"

Closing her eyes, Faith sighed. The last thing she wanted to do was hurt Dawn with the truth. "The doctors know what they're doing. Buffy's in good hands with them."

Dawn just stared at her. "You didn't answer my question."

"That's because you can answer it yourself. You know Buffy; do you think she'll let a little thing like this keep her down?"

"No."

"Did you get a hold of Angel?" Faith wanted to know, deciding to change the subject.

She nodded. "Yeah. He said he'll be here in a couple minutes. His secretary said he was in the middle of some big, important meeting. You don't think he's gonna get in trouble, do you?"

"I doubt it. Angel is the boss over there, I don't think he'll be getting into a whole lot of trouble. Especially if it's a family emergency like this one is."

Dawn slumped down in her chair. "Oh no. Angel's going to hate me. He loves Buffy so much and if she's hurt really bad, he'll want to kill me. He could have me put in jail."

Faith wrapped her arm around Dawn's shoulder. "How many times do I have to tell you? The accident was *not* your fault. Some asshole ran a STOP sign and slammed into Buffy's car. If anyone gets put in jail, it'll be him. So stop worrying."

Five minutes later, Angel ran into the waiting room where his two sisters-in-law sat, comforting one another. "Faith, Dawn, how is she? I got here as fast as I could."

The fifteen year old started crying while Faith frowned. "Buffy's still in surgery."

"What kind of surgery?" 'Please let her be okay. Please, please.'

"An appendectomy. Her appendix burst due to the accident. They think she might have a few broken ribs, and her right foot is definitely broken."

"How does she look?" Angel questioned.

She shrugged her shoulders. "I haven't seen her. She was already in surgery when I got here, and that was forty-five minutes ago."

"How's she taking it?" he asked, nodding to Dawn.

"Dawn blames herself. Keeps saying if she hadn't gotten detention this afternoon, Buffy would be fine. I keep telling her if that guy had been watching where he was driving, we wouldn't be here. But there's nothing we can do now except wait."

"Summers?" the doctor called when he entered the waiting area.

Faith got up and walked over to the doctor; Dawn had fallen asleep with her head on Angel's shoulder. "I'm Buffy's sister. Is she okay, doctor?"

He smiled and nodded his head. "Your sister is lucky she wasn't hurt much worse. But yes, she'll be fine. We successfully removed her appendix and prevented the toxins from spreading throughout her body. Aside from that, she has a broken foot and some bruised ribs. And a few cuts and bruises on her face."

"Any permanent damage?"

"None that I can see. In about two months, Buffy should be back to normal. She's resting in room 364, she just woke up from the anesthesia, so she might be a little groggy. I'll let you in to see her one at a time for five minutes each."

Faith felt like hugging the doctor. "Thank you so much. When can she come home?"

"Barring any complications, the day after tomorrow."

"Well?" Angel demanded when she returned. "How is she?"

"Fine. She is going to be perfectly fine. Her ribs aren't broken, just bruised. And the doctor said she can go home the day after tomorrow. That's great, isn't it?"

"It is. Can we see her?"

"Uh-huh. She just woke up a little while ago." She paused. "Do you want to go in first or should I?"

Angel grimaced at the decision he had to make. "You go. I'll tell Dawn the good news while you're in there."

"But you are Buffy's husband. Don't you think she'll want to see you first?" Faith could sense his struggle. She knew he was afraid of letting his true feelings for Buffy show. He shook his head. "That's all right. You're her sister, she'll want to see you before she'll want to see me. Just go."

"If you're sure."

"I am." Once Faith turned toward Buffy's room, Angel shook his sleeping sister-in-law. "Hey, Dawn, wake up. I've got good news for you."

"Knock, knock," Angel said before entering his wife's hospital room.

"Mind if I come in?"

Buffy looked over toward him, smiling when she saw what he held: a giant helium balloon attached to the leg of a brown teddy bear. "Hi. Sure, you can come in."

"These are for you. I'll put them on the table here," he told her, placing the gifts on the table next to the bed.

"Thank you. It was really thoughtful of you to go to so much trouble," Buffy commented.

He gave her a kiss on the forehead. "It was no trouble at all. I'm just glad you're okay. I don't know what I would've done if something had happened to you."

"It would have really put a damper on your plans for getting your inheritance from your uncle Rupert."

"That has nothing to do with it. I genuinely care about you," Angel admitted, somewhat hurt by her words. "The biggest part of me would have died if you hadn't made it."

"Really?" she asked, incredulously.

He nodded. "Really. You're more than just some girl to me. You should know that by now."

"I guess I never realized it."

"How are you feeling?"

Buffy groaned. "Like I was run over by an eighteen-wheeler. Other than being very sore, I'm okay."

"That's to be expected, I suppose."

"Yeah, it is. I'm really sorry about your car. I didn't mean to get it demolished like that," she apologized.

Angel laughed shortly. "The car is the least of my concerns. All I care about is you, not a fourteen thousand dollar contraption. A car can be replaced, a person can't."

"If I ask you something, will you be totally honest with me?"

"Of course I will. What do you want to know?"

"Do these cuts make me look ugly?"

The expression on her face devastated him. Buffy looked utterly terrified of the answer. "You only have a few cuts on your cheeks. And to answer your question, no, you don't look ugly. You are as beautiful as always."

"You think I'm beautiful?"

"I always have." Angel checked his watch. "Looks like my five minutes is almost up. I'll be by tomorrow during my lunch hour and visit you. Get some rest."

"I will. Thank you, Angel."

"For what?"

She gave him a small smile. "For everything. It means a lot to me. Having you here means a lot to me."

"Same here. You mean a lot to me, too, love." 'More than you'll ever know.'

Two days later, Angel opened the front door for his injured wife as she hobbled up the walkway to the house on her crutches. "Do you need any help walking up the steps?" he asked, concerned she might not be able to make it up the three steps to get to the door.

Buffy shook her head. "Nope, I think I can handle it on my own. But thanks for the offer."

"Just trying to help."

"I know you are. I just don't want to rely on anybody because of this. You and Dawn won't be home with me every second, so I need to learn to do this on my own."

Angel nodded, understanding Buffy's need for independence. "If you do need me, all you have to do is ask."

She climbed up the steps, reaching his side. "I appreciate you concern. I'm warning you, though, I might take you up on it."

"I'll be here if you do," he promised.

When she entered the house, her face lit up like a Christmas tree. There were dozens of flowers, boxes of candy, balloons and get-well cards on every flat surface inside the living room. "Oh my lord. Angel, where did all this stuff come from?"

Closing the door behind them, Angel smiled at her. "Your friends, my friends, some of the people at the firm, and a few clients who heard about the accident. The dozen roses on the fireplace are from Wesley. He sends his love and best wishes."

"That was so nice of him…of everyone. They didn't need to go to so much trouble," Buffy commented.

"People like you, Buffy. And I can't think of a single reason why they shouldn't," Angel told her. "So, what do you want to do first, now that you're finally back home?"

She sighed. "Take a bath. I feel so scummy from that hospital."

Angel laughed at the simplicity of her choice. 'Typical of Buffy.' "Okay. I'll order out Chinese while you're up there. Any requests?"

"Orange chicken, fried rice and broccoli," she stated without needing time to think about it.

"You got it."

Buffy began her journey up the stairs, careful not to trip.

Unfortunately, her right crutch slipped from the third step, causing her to yelp when she landed on the stairs. Having heard it from the kitchen, Angel ran to her side. "What happened?"

"I fell."

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah. The only thing that hurts is my ego. I guess it's going to take some time to get used to using these damn crutches," she complained.

"Come on, I'll help you to the top."

She shook her head, not wanting to put him out. "I can do it. Angel, I don't need your help. I don't want it."

Angel smirked. "That's too bad, because you've got it." Before she could object, he swept her up into his arms, carrying her up the remainder of the stairs like a bridegroom with a bride. He could smell the lingering scent of her strawberry shampoo, and did his best to ignore it.

"How's it going, B?" Faith wanted to know when she stopped by later that afternoon. Angel had called her up and asked her to keep Buffy company while he tied up some loose ends at the law office.

Laying on the couch, Buffy shrugged her shoulders. "Okay, I guess. I'm really sore. And moving around isn't all that easy."

"Having a broken foot sucks, you don't need to tell me. Been there, done that," she said. She glanced around the room, noticing all the gifts and flowers. "Nice decorations you got here. Looks like someone bought out the entire flower shop. It wasn't your fake husband, was it?"

"Don't start, Faith. Angel's gone out of his way for me these past few days, taking time away from his big case to be here for me. He even carried me up the stairs when I fell earlier."

"Did he, now?" 'Probably trying to cop a feel,' Faith thought.

"Yes, he did. Let's talk about something else. How are things going between you and Spike? Getting serious?" Buffy asked.

Faith gave her sister a half-smile. "You could say that. I'm really enjoying myself, if that's what you mean. At least he doesn't hit me like Parker did. And he's much better in the sack."

"Faith!" Buffy exclaimed.

"What? There's something to be said for an older man. He's got experience, stamina, and he can do things Parker couldn't even dream of."

She sighed heavily. "Buffy, the stories I could tell you about Spike…his mouth, his hands, his tongue…" She growled at the thought. "That classifies as too much information," Buffy stated. Listening to her sister talk about her sex life made Buffy feel uncomfortable. And rather jealous.

The older Summers sister couldn't help but laugh. "You know what I find hard to believe? That you've been married for ten months and you *still* haven't slept with the man yet. At the rate you're going, Dawn will do it before you will."

"Don't go there. Dawn's only sixteen."

"So was I. So were a lot of people. You're twenty-one! I don't get it. You are married to a hot, smart, rich man and you won't have sex with him. Don't you think you're being a little unfair to Angel?"

Buffy looked down, not wanting her sister to see the look in her green eyes. "I didn't make him take a vow of celibacy, Faith. He can sleep with anyone he wants to." 'Even though I'm hoping he isn't sleeping around with someone.'

Faith gazed closely at Buffy. Despite Buffy's best attempts to hide it, she could easily see the look on her face. "You're jealous, aren't you? Jealous that some other woman might catch his eye."

"No."

"Yes. I want you to look me dead in the eye and tell me you don't have feelings for Angel. Go on, do it." Faith wanted to hear her admit it.

Making eye contact, Buffy knew she couldn't lie; Faith could always see right through her, even when they were younger. "Yes, I have feelings for Angel. Are you happy now?"

"Have you ever thought about acting on them?"

"Nuh-huh. No way. I don't have that in me."

She smirked. "Everybody has it in them, B. Have you ever fantasized about him? Wonder what it would be like to actually do the deed with him?"

Blushing, Buffy nodded her head. "Every now and then. Sometimes, I wonder what would happen if I were to just go into his room one night and climb into bed with him. I already know he doesn't wear anything to bed, so I could just uncover him and look. Maybe even touch. But I have thought about it, and do sometimes wonder if he'd tell me to get out if I actually tried it."

"I don't think he'd tell you to get out. Just do it. Go into his room tonight and ask him to be your first," Faith ordered.

"I can't. First of all, I just had surgery. Secondly, I could never in a million years do that. It's one thing to dream about it, it's something completely different to do it. Third, he doesn't know I've never done it before. I'd be too embarrassed to tell him." Buffy took a deep breath. "And lastly, it's a marriage in name-only. Sex only complicates things, and Angel and I agreed on no sex."

"Not if you love the guy."

"I never said I loved him. I'm attracted to him, there's a big difference. Look, can we drop the subject? I don't want to talk about this anymore."

The brunette lifted her eyebrows. 'The truth must hurt.' "Fine. Let's talk about something else." 'Someday, she'll realize that she's in love with him, and that he's just as in love with her. And I want to be around to see it.'

"I'm glad you're home, Buffy," Dawn told her over dinner that night. "I was really scared when you were in the hospital. It reminded me of last summer when Mom and Dad were there."

"Don't worry, I'm fine. And I'm glad to be home, too. Dawnie, what happened wasn't your fault, I want you to know that. Angel told me that you were blaming yourself, and I don't want you to do that anymore. Promise me you won't."

She grinned, finally believing she wasn't to blame. Being told by everyone else was one thing, but hearing it from Buffy herself convinced her of it. "I promise. I'll never get detention again."

"Good."

The doorbell rang ten minutes later, as Angel and Dawn were loading the dishwasher. "I got it," he told Buffy, who sat on the couch in the living room reading one of her textbooks. He didn't want her to overexert herself.

"Okay," she replied.

When he opened the front door, Angel couldn't believe who stood on the other side. "Oh my god."

Hearing Angel's exclamation, Buffy put down her schoolbooks and reached out for her crutches, hobbling over to his side. "Angel, what is it? Who's at the door?"

Angel took several step back and a woman in her early sixties walked through the front door uninvited. "It's so nice to see your manners haven't improved a bit, Angelus," she commented in a thick British accent. "Apparently, some things never change."

"Angel?" Buffy repeated.

He remained silent. "What are you doing here? You certainly weren't invited," he said to the woman.

"Is that any way to greet your mother?" she chastised. "I raised you better than that."

"You didn't raise me period. I pose the question again, why did you come here?"

'Mother?' Buffy thought. 'Angel told me he hasn't seen his mother since his law school graduation. Why on earth would she stop by to visit after all these years?'

"Is it against the law to want to see my only son? I just returned from a Mediterranean cruise last week when I found a message waiting for me on my answering machine. My only child got married and didn't bother to inform his own mother. Do you know who left that message? You school chum William. I didn't even hear it from my own son, I had to hear it from his best friend."

"I'll kill him," Angel vowed. "He had no right."

Angel's mother turned her attention to Buffy, who stood five feet away from Angel. "I'm Amelia McKenzie, Angelus' mother. And you must be the *new* Mrs. McKenzie." She looked Buffy up and down, sizing her up. "Pretty. And very young. William warned me you were younger, but not a child."

"I'm twenty-one."

"You don't have to defend yourself to her, Buffy," Angel told her. "My mother doesn't deserve any explanations."

Mrs. McKenzie chose to ignore her son's words. "Dear Rupert, he always did have a soft spot for you, Angelus. He left you everything, didn't he? Forgot all about his poor younger sister."

"You are hardly poor, mother. When are you returning to New York?" Angel was eager for his mother to leave. The two had never shared a loving mother-son relationship.

She simply smiled at her son. "In a few days. But I did want to meet my new daughter-in-law and see how my son is getting by. Tell me, my son the lawyer, is that against the law?"

"I'll call the hotel and have you set up in their best suite." Angel headed for his study to make the call.

"That won't be necessary. I will simply stay in the guest room here. There is no need to go out of your way to make special accommodations for me."

While Angel glared at his mother with hatred filling his brown eyes, Buffy couldn't help but stare in awe at her. Amelia McKenzie blew through the house like a tornado – an unstoppable force to be reckoned with.

"Oh, there is a need. It's no trouble at all to have you housed there for the duration of your stay," Angel insisted.

"You don't have to bother, I am perfectly happy to stay right here. And don't worry about my bags," she began. "I can bring them to my room by myself. Last room on the right, correct? Across from the master bedroom?" Mrs. McKenzie ascended the stairs without bothering to wait for a response from her son.

Buffy turned to her husband. "Angel? Are you okay?"

"That's my room," he muttered. "She's taking over my room. Now what do I do?" He felt like an adolescent all over again, being ordered around by his mother.

She could tell he wasn't in the mood for joking around, so she kept her joke to herself. "Looks like you're staying in my room until she leaves."

Dawn ran down the stairs. "Okay, who's the weird lady who just poked her head in my room? And what the hell is she doing here?" she demanded. "We aren't moving again, are we?"

"That would be my mother," Angel answered. "She's staying with us for a while."

"Oh. Sorry about calling her a weird lady, Angel."

He laughed. "No, Dawn, you were right the first time. She is a weird lady."

"Where do you want me to sleep?" Angel asked Buffy later that evening when they were settling down for bed. With his mother sleeping in his bedroom, Angel had no choice but to sleep with his wife. It would be hard to explain if he were to sleep on the living room couch.

She shrugged. "It doesn't matter to me really. Wherever you feel comfortable."

"Looks like the floor it is." Setting a few blankets on the carpet, he laid himself down next to the bed.

Buffy felt bad for making him sleep on the floor in his own home. "You don't have to sleep there, you know. I have plenty of room on the bed, not to mention it won't be nearly as uncomfortable. Get up here."

"You really don't have to do this. The floor is fine. Besides, you're still hurt."

"Don't argue with me. Get your ass up here and sleep with me."

Relenting, Angel stood up and crawled into bed next to his wife, careful to leave plenty of space between the two of them. 'Keep minimum safe distance between yourself and the temptation,' his mind told him. But he knew he'd be fighting his hormones every night until his mother left. "Thanks," he said.

"You know, I'm not a doctor, but I sensed a lot of tension down there earlier. What exactly happened between you and your mother?" Buffy wanted to know.

"It's a long and complicated story. You don't want to hear about it."

She placed a supportive hand on his shoulder. "I'm not going anywhere and believe me, I'm not tired. Spill it."

"You don't need to hear about it."

"I'm your wife, even if only in name. Come on, Angel. It might help if you were to talk about it. Get it off your chest, so to speak."

"I have issues with my mother. She's the reason my parents got divorced, the reason my father drank himself into an early grave, and the reason I never planned on ever getting married," he revealed. "Well, she's part of the reason for that."

"Why?"

He took a deep breath. "She cheated on my father; she had a bevy of other lovers whom she didn't even try to hide from us. I came home from my first day of school and found her having sex with the pool boy in the kitchen. How's that for a wonderful childhood memory? Anyway, I saw what she did to my father and I vowed the day he died that I'd never let myself be treated like that. So, I decided to never get married. My mother is a cold, heartless bitch, Buffy. Enough said."

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize."

"It's not your fault. Not too many people know the real reason."

"But it's just your mother, one woman. Not every woman out there is like her, Angel. There's bound to be one out there somewhere who won't treat you like she treated your father," Buffy reassured him.

'That's what I thought about Darla until she did it to me,' he said to himself. He nodded his head in response to her comment. "It wasn't until recently that I realized that."

"What made you change your mind about marriage?"

He planted a kiss on her cheek. "You did."

"Would you mind explaining to me why you felt the need to call my mother and inform her of my marriage?" Angel demanded to know. He had called his best friend in the morning and requested they meet for lunch at noon.

Spike took a swig of his beer, smiling to himself. 'My plan is working perfectly. Angel's mother will drive Buffy out of his house and into my arms. And I'll finally have something Angel could never get.' "What's the big deal? She's your mother, she had a right to know. Don't you agree?"

"No, I don't agree. You know quite well how much I despise my mother. That woman doesn't need to know anything about my life. In fact, the less she knows, the better."

"Amelia is family, Angel. She bloody gave birth to you."

Angel scowled. "That may be true, but that does not make her my mother. She gave up those rights when she shipped me off to boarding school when I turned eight."

"So she's concerned about you; she wants to make sure you're happy. Can you begrudge her that?" Spike questioned.

He eyed the bleached-blonde carefully. He knew Spike well enough to know when he was up to something. "What's in it for you, Spike? There's no way you called my mother out of the kindness of your heart. Tell me."

"There's nothing to tell," he lied. "Like I said, I thought she deserved to know her son got married. I still don't understand why you're so upset about it. She'd have found out eventually."

"Why am I upset? Because she took over my house! She walked through my front door and announced her intention of staying for an extended visit. In my bedroom. I had to sleep in Buffy's room last night," Angel explained. "Do you know how uncomfortable that was?"

"I am sure it was so uncomfortable for you. Sharing a room – perhaps more – with your beautiful little wife. My heart bleeds for you, Angel."

Angel shook his head. "Why I expected sympathy from you, I have no idea."

"You've got it made, don't you see that? This is your chance to boldly go where you haven't gotten access to go before. What are you waiting for? Sleep with the damn girl and get it over with."

"You're crude, you know that?"

"You used to be the exact same way, as I recall. Listen to me, you've been obsessing over her since you got married. Take what you want. It'll get her out of your system." 'He'll never do it. Angel is too committed to his "no sex marriage" to ever sleep with Buffy.'

Once again, he shook his head. "Buffy and I have a deal. I'm not about to break it."

"Then why did you almost have sex with her on New Year's Eve?" he asked with a smirk. "What's changed? What was so different then?"

"She was drunk."

"But you weren't. Think about what a load off your mind it would be. Everybody wins. Come on, Angel. Do it tonight, I dare you."

"How did you meet my son?" Mrs. McKenzie questioned her daughter-in-law.

"I needed a lawyer for my older sister, Angel spoke during one of my law classes last year, so I asked him to defend her," Buffy told her, keeping it as simple as possible. "Things snowballed from there."

She nodded. "I see. Don't you think it's a bit strange for a girl your age to be married to a man my son's age?"

"Truthfully, I don't seen anything wrong with it. If we love each other, what's the problem?"

"No problem. It's just that I happen to find it rather interesting my Angelus married you after knowing you for only a few days. Most people wait several months, or even a year. Why the rush to the altar?" Angel's mother wanted to know.

"We didn't want to wait. We knew the day we met that we were meant to be together. At least I did."

Mrs. McKenzie smiled knowingly. "I'm certain you did. Especially considering my son's vast inheritance from my brother."

Buffy found herself appalled by the insinuation. "Let me get this straight. You think I married Angel for his money?"

"Why else would you have married him?" she asked. "By no means am I stupid. A pretty young girl with no money, no parents and a teenage sister to raise. What other reason could there be? My son always did have a fondness for blondes."

Buffy grabbed her crutches and stood up. She no longer could stand being verbally abused by Amelia McKenzie. "How would you know that? You don't know anything about Angel, you sent him away to school in England before he was even ten years old. And you sure as hell don't know me, so you'd better stop making false accusations before they come back and bite you in the ass."

"How dare you speak to me that way, you impudent child!"

"Go to hell," Buffy shot back as she left the room.

When Angel returned home at seven o'clock that evening, he found an angered Buffy sitting on the stairs waiting for him. "I'd ask you how your day was, but I think I already know the answer to that one. What happened with my mother?"

"Your mother, and I use the term loosely, is the she-devil incarnate," Buffy stated plainly.

"Okay, what did she do?" He took her hand in his, leading her into his study so they could talk in private.

She took a deep breath before beginning, also waiting until Angel closed their door, ensuring their privacy. "To keep it short and sweet, she called me a gold digger. Isn't that nice of her? I'm surprised she didn't add tramp to the list while she was at it. The woman was on a roll today."

"I'm sorry," Angel apologized. "My mother doesn't know how to think before she speaks."

"Do I give off that aura or something? Do I look like an Anna Nicole Smith to you?" Buffy asked. "Because I never thought so."

"It's not you, Buff, it's her. And believe me, I know the real you, and in no way do you resemble a gold digging tramp. My mother's a bitch, I told you that last night. If she can't see what a wonderful person you are, then that's her loss. Not yours. Just ignore her and maybe she'll go away."

She smiled at his kind words. "Thank you. You're always reassuring me, Angel. I don't know what I'd do without you here to boost my self-esteem."

He cupped her face in his hands, touching his forehead to her. "The feeling is mutual."

Looking deep into her eyes, Angel felt his lips closing in on hers. It came as a complete surprise to both of them when neither pulled away when their lips met. Buffy's hands gripped his broad shoulders for support while Angel's left hand found its way to the back of her neck, bringing her closer to him. Their tongues massaged one another, and it took at least a minute for Angel to break the kiss. It was then that he realized what had happened.

"I don't know why I did that. I'm sorry."

Buffy felt flush, her heart beat in her throat and the burning in her stomach seemed to move lower and lower with every touch. There was something about Angel's kisses that had that affect on her. And she loved it. "Don't. I know why you did it; you wanted to make me feel better. And it worked." 'I wish…no, I hope that's not the real reason. I hope it's because you have feelings for me,' she thought.

"Good. I'm glad. It won't happen again." 'Until the next time I can't control myself. Why is it every time I'm alone with Buffy I want to kiss her?' he asked himself.

"I don't mind. I-I liked the kiss. You're really good at it." 'Amazing is more like it. How am I going to fall asleep tonight with him right next to me? All I'm going to be able to think about is how great a kisser he is. Maybe I should just take Faith's advice and jump him. Nah. Then I'd be humiliated if he shot me down. Nope, I'll just play it cool. One of these days, though…'

Two weeks later, Amelia McKenzie still hadn't left Sunnydale, or Angel's house. Her visit had been for an undisclosed amount of time, and every time Angel asked her when she intended on returning to New York, she always replied with "soon." But her continuous presence began to wear on Buffy's nerves.

"Angel, I can't take this anymore," she complained. "Your mother has to leave, and she has to do it soon. Either she goes or I go, you choose."

He sighed as he climbed into bed, pulling the covers over his chest. "There's no choice. I would choose you over her any day of the week."

"Then what's the problem? Why is she still around? She knows you don't want her here, and Lord knows I sure as hell don't. For the sake of my sanity, please make her leave."

"What is really bothering you?" Angel questioned. "Is my mother saying stuff to you that I should know about?"

"I just…what if she finds out the real reason we're married? She could go straight to the lawyers handling your uncle's will and tell them we only got married so you could get the inheritance. Then we've wasted almost a year of our lives in this phony marriage and she inherits everything."

"You're overreacting."

Her eyes wide, Buffy stared hard at him. "Am I? The longer she stays here, the better the chance is of her finding out. Not to mention, she could only suspect it, start spreading it around and people will begin to wonder if there's any truth to it. I don't need people talking about me again."

"They won't. Look, I'll tell her in the morning that she has to leave. Will that make you feel better?" he wanted to know.

She nodded her head. "Yes, it would. Thank you."

"Good. Now go to sleep."

Soft lips caressing his neck woke Angel from a wonderful dream. In it, his mother left for good and Buffy told him she was sick of living in a marriage based on false pretenses. She wanted to make it work and wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. It was a dream he wished every day would come true. He, too, was sick of pretending to not have feelings for her. He wanted to scream to the world that he loved Buffy Summers. But fear of rejection kept him from actually doing it.

With a moan, he turned over on his side, and felt tiny hands skimming along his muscular chest and arms. Angel didn't dare open his eyes for fear of it being another one of his erotic fantasies about his wife. So he kept his eyes closed and left himself feel her touching him in his dream-like state.

Her scent was everywhere; her strawberry shampoo, bubble bath, hand lotion, body spray; it drove him nearly to the brink of insanity. It was a scent he loved and loathed at the same time; it represented the reality that his dream was so close, yet so far away. Buffy might only be inches away, but miles from his reach.

His left hand found the back of her head, tangling his fingers within the soft blonde tresses while his right hand clutched her silk pajama top, desperate for any kind of physical contact, real or not. He wanted to touch her, feel her, make her yearn for him the way he yearned for her. Her skin was silky and smooth and scalding hot to the touch as Angel tried to memorize every curve and crevice hidden beneath her top.

Hot lips kissed their way along his chest, a tongue swirled around his nipples while a set of hands moved lower, underneath the waistband of his boxer shorts. Angel, through his clouded desire, whispered Buffy's name as she explored more of him. He didn't know how much more he could take before exploding. No woman – not even Darla – made him burn with desire more than his young, inexperienced wife.

From inside the bathroom, Amelia McKenzie could hear the sounds of low moans coming from her son's bedroom. Out of curiosity, she quietly opened the door to his room, seeing her son and daughter-in-law engaged in an intimate embrace, a tangle of limbs and murmured words of love. Before she could be found out, she closed the door and retired to bed.

"How dare you do this to your own mother!" Angel's mother exclaimed in outrage the following morning. "I am a guest in your home, Angelus."

Angel raised his eyebrows. "You were never a guest here, sorry. That would mean I invited you here, which I never did. Since the day you got here, Mother, you have been nothing but trouble for me and my family. You've made my wife unhappy, and I won't stand for it anymore."

"Didn't you ever learn the saying 'blood is thicker than water'?" she demanded. "I am your mother. I gave birth to you and provided for you and this is how you repay me? By shoving me aside for a blonde bimbo? That's gratitude for you."

"Buffy is not a bimboo, so I suggest you choose your words more carefully next time," Angel warned, a threatening tone in his voice.

"Why is it that a man as intelligent as you are can't see what she is truly like?" Amelia asked. "All you see when you look at your little Buffy is sweetness and light. But I see her true colors. Look at her a bit closer and you'll find a woman only after one thing."

Angel smirked. "Is money all you care about?"

"She's after yours. Maybe I'd be better off calling it Rupert's hard-earned money. Go ahead, watch it disappear. It won't be long before she bleeds you dry."

"Not that it's any of your business, but Buffy and I have a pre-nuptial agreement," Angel informed his mother smugly.

She simply laughed. "I'm sure you do. But I would stake my life that she'll get you to rip it up. Women like her do that."

"No, women like you do that," he accused. "Not get out of my house before I call the police and have you thrown out."

Amelia picked up her bags. "Very well, have it your way, Angelus. One thing I won't mind leaving behind is the noise at night. It's only proper manners to be quiet about your sex life, not make a show of it."

"What are you talking about?" Angel was clueless. 'Last night was just a dream. Was I actually saying that stuff out loud? How embarrassing.'

"Don't play coy with me. You and that girl were going at it like two horny teenagers last night It's no wonder her sister sleeps on the other side of the house."

"You must be hearing things."

She shook her head in disagreement. "Afraid not, son. I saw you two with my own two eyes. Sick, really. Enjoy it while it lasts, because she'll be gone soon. And then you won't have anyone."

"Get out," he ordered. "And don't come back."

"Fine. But don't say I didn't warn you."

Angel watched his mother walk down the driveway to the waiting cab he'd called to pick her up. As soon as it drove out of sight, he slammed the door behind him, turning around in time to see Buffy hobbling down the stairs. She looked at him expectantly.

"Is she gone?"

All he could think about when he looked at her was the dream he'd had the night before – the dream that turned out to be real. 'Buffy really was kissing me and doing all those things. God, I was so close to being with her. I almost had my dream come true. If she hadn't rested her head on my shoulder and fallen asleep, we might have had sex. Does she know that, or does she think it was a dream, too?' he wondered.

"Angel?" she said when he didn't reply.

"Yeah?"

"Did she leave?"

He nodded. "Gone for good." Taking a deep breath, he posed his next question carefully. "How did you sleep last night?"

"Like a baby. Had a very nice dream. Maybe sleeping next to you helps me sleep better. Too bad it's over."

"Yeah, too bad." 'Now we can't finish where we left off last night.'

Inside her bedroom, Dawn fidgeted nervously. She was going on her first real date with a boy. She'd been invited to the Junior Prom by the boy she'd had a crush on since her freshman year. The school year flew by so quickly for her, Dawn could hardly believe it was May already, and that she'd been graduating from high school in little more than a year.

"Buffy, do I look all splotchy?" she asked her older sister.

Buffy, who had been sitting on Dawn's bed, stood up and moved to stand next to her sister. "No, you're not all splotchy. You look…great. Brian is going to flip when he sees you."

"I hope so. I've only been after him for two years. You know, I just can't believe he asked me. Is that how you felt when Angel proposed to you? Shocked and amazed, I mean." Dawn pulled at the skirt of her long black dress, adjusting it around her hips.

"It was pretty amazing, I'll grant you that." She paused for a brief moment. "I can't believe my baby sister is going to her Junior Prom. I'm suddenly feeling very old."

"Oh please, you're twenty-two. It's not like you're an old married woman. Well…"

"I know what you mean. It all seems like a lifetime ago. You going to your Prom is bringing back memories of high school for me. I'm getting nostalgic."

Dawn wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. "Maybe if you and Angel start working on a baby, in seventeen years or so you can go through this all over again with my little niece or nephew."

Buffy sighed and laughed. "Um, no. Angel and I have no plans for having children for quite a while. So you can forget about becoming Aunt Dawnie unless Faith is pregnant and I don't know about it yet."

They heard the doorbell ring, announcing the arrival of Dawn's date. The girl paled when she heard it, her heart pounding in her chest and her palms felt sweaty. "Buffy, he's here. Oh god."

"So I hear. Finish getting ready and I'll wait downstairs with him and Angel until you're ready," Buffy told her.

"Okay."

Buffy descended the stairs in time to see Angel open the front door for Dawn's date. On the other side of the door stood a blonde-haired boy clad in a black tuxedo and holding a red corsage. "You must be Brian," Angel greeted.

Brian nodded his head nervously at the older, taller man. "H-Hi, Sir. Yes, I'm Brian. Is Dawn ready yet?"

"Not yet," Buffy replied, making her way to the front door. "I'm her sister and this is my husband. Why don't you have a seat on the couch while she finishes getting ready. It should only take her a few more minutes."

"Sure." He entered the house and sat down on the couch.

Angel and Buffy took a seat on the loveseat near the window. "Brian, what's your last name?" Angel wanted to know.

"Cunningham. Brian Cunningham."

"You're driving tonight, right?" Brian nodded. "What kind of car do you drive? Do you have insurance? How is your driving record? Do you have a criminal record I should know about?"

Putting her head in her hands, Buffy groaned. "Angel, you are embarrassing him. Can you please stop being a lawyer for five minutes?"

"It's my job. Answer the questions, Brian."

He let out a nervous breath. "I drive a ninety-nine Ford Taurus, I have full coverage for my insurance and I have a clean driving record. No speeding tickets whatsoever. And, uh, what was the last question?"

"Criminal record?"

"Angel! Stop it!" Dawn cried from the top of the stairs. "Are you trying to humiliate me?"

All three stood up when she reached the bottom step. Brian's face broke out in a delighted smile. "Dawn. Wow. You look really pretty tonight."

She grinned at the compliment. "Thank you. I'm ready to go. Can we go? Please?" she pleaded, desperate to get away from her brother-in-law's probing questions.

"Yeah," her sister said.

Brian, too, was eager to leave. On their way out the door, he handed Dawn the corsage. "Here, this is for you."

"Thank you. It's beautiful."

"You two have a good time tonight," Buffy said to them.

Angel headed for the door, watching them walk down the driveway to Brian's car. "I know every cop in Sunnydale and a few in Los Angeles. Keep that in mind!"

Buffy came up behind him, punching him in the arm. "What is wrong with you? How come you're acting like an overprotective father?"

He smiled devilishly. "Because it's fun. I've been on the receiving end of many a father's inquisitions. For once, I wanted to see what it felt like to give it. And you know what? The old saying is right, 'tis better to give than to receive."

"You're one sick man, Angelus McKenzie. Has anyone ever told you that?"

"I've heard it a few times. But coming from you, it actually means something," he told her. "Do you know what today is, Buffy?"

Thinking for a moment, she shook her head. "Not a clue. What's so important about today?"

"Today is the halfway point. It is our year-and-a-half anniversary. Which means we only have another eighteen months of marriage. You and I are in the home stretch of our marriage."

"That's right. I completely forgot about that. Can you believe how fast it's gone by? We must be better actors than we thought, especially if everyone's still buying it." She chuckled. "Dawn was asking me today when you and I were going to have a baby. I didn't know what to say."

"I wonder what he or she would look like," he wondered out loud.

Buffy looked at him curiously. "Who?"

"Our baby. Perhaps I'm just getting sentimental, thinking about having children. Before you came along, I never once thought about the possibility of being a father. But now…who knows? I think maybe I'd make a good dad."

"What are you going to do, hire a surrogate mother, Mr. I-Don't-Want-To-Get-Married?"

"No. I'd like to have children with the woman I love."

She lifted her eyebrows. "Darla?" She knew that Darla was the one woman her husband loved and lost.

He shook his head. "No. I don't think I've found her yet."

"Mmm," Faith moaned, rubbing against Spike under the covers of her bed. "That was the most fun I've had in a long time."

"Even better than last night?" Spike asked.

"It certainly ranks up there. I can't think of a better way to spend the late night hours. Better than working, that's for sure. And chocolate." Faith ran her hand along her lover's sculpted chest. "Poor B. She doesn't know what she's missing."

He narrowed his eyes at Faith's comment. "What do you mean by that?"

"Just that sex is so enjoyable and my poor twenty-two year old sister hasn't had the privilege of experiencing it yet."

"You mean Buffy's a…"

"A virgin," she finished. "Yes. She's waiting for Mr. Right to come along and sweep her off her feet."

Spike scoffed. "Faith, I find it that very hard to believe. There's no way my best buddy is married to a virgin."

"Believe it."

"Does Angel know it?"

"I have no clue. Though I doubt my sister's confided it in him."

"Well then, there's no way Angel has been a celibate man for the last year and a half of his life. That boy doesn't withhold satisfaction. If he ain't getting it from your sister, he's getting it somewhere else."

She kissed him. "Just don't tell Buffy that. I have a feeling she's falling for him."

"I won't." 'Not unless I get to her first. Time to put my plan into motion. I *will* have Buffy. And what a bonus that I'll bed her before her own husband. I'll get there first. I always hated sloppy seconds.'

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