RATING: PG ish
DISCLAIMER: I own nothing so don't sue.
SUMMARY: Buffy and Angel meet up again by accident in LA sometime during season four. If you've read any of my other stories you'll know that I can't keep them apart for long. That's all I'm gonna tell you. He hee. I had a huge urge to shout at Buffy for being so horrible to Angel.
NOTES: I'm still feeling ill so don't be surprised if this story is awful. I just needed to write. Thanks to everyone who sent me feedback for my last story. It cheered me up loads!
SPOLIERS: Quite a few from Buffy season four and Angel season one, but I've changed what happened a lot as well.

'Great, add breaking and entering to my list,' Buffy muttered angrily.

LAPD was bigger then she had realised, and finding he office where they kept all the criminal files was proving to be extremely difficult.

She didn't even know why she was doing it. Giles had just told her that he needed information on a prisoner called Mackenzie, whoever he was.

*Bingo, we have a jackpot* Buffy thought as she found the office she was looking for. She could tell immediately that there was someone in there. Slayer hearing really came in handy on occasion.

She opened the door carefully and slipped inside. She crept up on the stranger and prepared to deliver a kick to knock the person out. She wouldn't cause any serious damage, just get the stranger out of the way for a while.

Before she knew what was happening, her blow was being intercepted by a strong hand grabbing her leg and throwing her off balance. She landed with a thud and her instincts told her that it was a vampire.

'Fine,' she snapped angrily, 'I guess we'll have to do this the hard way.'

'Buffy?' she heard a voice ask. Angel's voice. And then the light was being switched on and she saw him stood in front of her, glancing worriedly at her. He helped her to her feet before stepping back again.

'Angel,' the other woman said, 'thanks. I owe you one.'

Buffy studied her carefully. She had blonde hair, quite short, she was quite pretty, and most importantly, she seemed to know Angel well.

'Are you okay Kate?' Angel asked the woman.

'Fine. Care to explain yourself?' Kate said, turning to look at Buffy.

'Kate, this is Buffy. Buffy this is Kate,' Angel said quickly.

Both women glanced at each other coldly.

'This is just a misunderstanding,' Buffy said, noticing that Angel refused to look at her. The last time they'd spoken was when she'd told him to get out of her life.

'I have to go,' Angel said softly, making it clear he had no desire to stick around and find out what she was doing in L.A. 'It'll be sunrise soon.'

He turned to go when Buffy stopped him, saying, 'You don't wear the Gem of Amara?'

Angel shook his head and looked at the ground. 'I destroyed it.' He began to walk out again and Buffy stood there stunned. Any chance of seeing Angel in the sunlight, of.he'd thrown it all away! Buffy felt something inside of her snap.

'You destroyed it?' she repeated, and Angel slowed slightly, sensing the anger in he voice, 'That's just great. We trust you with one thing. To look after one thing and you go and destroy it,' she snapped.

Angel spun around and narrowed his eyes slightly. 'You gave it to me. I had the right to do whatever I want with it,' he said coldly.

'Oh of course. You didn't feel like you deserved it, so you destroyed it,' Buffy sneered, knowing that if she didn't stay angry then all the hurt and pain would come rushing back full force.

'I don't know if you're aware of the fact that Spike kidnapped me when he found out I had the Gem,' Angel told her, his voice keeping the same cold tone, 'He tortured me with hot pokers to get me to tell him where the ring was. I risked going in the sunlight and burning to get it back, so don't ever tell me that what I did was for myself. There would have been others after the ring. It was a liability.'

Buffy froze as she allowed his words to sink in. Spike had told her what he'd done, but she had thought he'd been lying. Angel had never called to tell them. She also remembered Spike telling her all about the look on Angel's face when he'd found out about Parker. Buffy flinched slightly at the memory.

As if reading her thoughts, Angel said quietly, 'Spike was telling the truth, wasn't he.' It was a statement, not a question.

Buffy felt tears spring but she refused to cry. And then he was turning around and walking away.

'Wait! Angel, don't go,' Buffy found herself saying, almost begging. She may have been confused about a lot of things but suddenly her love for Angel had never felt stronger.

'I'm doing what you told me to do Buffy,' Angel said flatly, 'I'm keeping out of your life. Hope you and Riley are happy,' and with that he began to walk off again.

Buffy broke down in tears and slid to the floor. *This is it* she thought, *I've pushed him too far* The sight of Angel walking away, out of her life. She knew that if she let him leave it would be forever.

'Riley and I broke up,' she informed him bitterly and Angel froze. Maybe it was her news, or her tone of voice.

'Did you know that over 50% of American guys cheat on their girlfriends? Well, guess what, Riley was no exception,' she told him flatly.

Angel didn't say anything, but he didn't start walking either. He turned back around to face her and his heart broke at the sight before him. Buffy had collapsed to the floor, rocking herself slightly, sobs raking through her tiny body.

'I'm sorry,' he offered. He felt a small surge of anger start to build to build up with in him. She was the slayer. Her life was never easy. But this man had used her. Hurt her intentionally. Buffy's heart that he had treasured so dearly had been trampled on by another man, carelessly.

'I knew a while before we broke up,' she continued in the same tone, 'I guess it should have bothered me. But how could it, when I didn't love him? I could never love anyone because. because I still love you.' She confessed. And then she was crying again, loud, heartbreaking sobs.

'I thought that if I was cold enough to you, and if I stayed with Riley, maybe I could learn to love him. But I can't. You still have my heart. Always.' And then she slumped slightly, all her energy drained away.

Angel felt all his defences fall away and before he knew what he was doing, he had Buffy in his arms, rocking her gently and trying to comfort her.

She managed to pull herself together and she pulled away from him slightly. 'You've moved on,' she said in a small voice, 'that woman.'

'Kate?' Angel asked, smiling slightly, 'Kate is a friend. Nothing more.'

'I didn't mean what I said,' she continued quietly,

'I didn't want you out of my life. Ever. I just-'

'Ssh, I know,' Angel told her gently.

Holding her in his arms made him realise how thin she'd become. Too thin.

'What have you been eating?' Angel asked worriedly.

'I eat!' she said defensively, 'when I have time.'

'Buffy,' Angel scolded gently, 'you've got to eat.

You're pale as well,' he frowned.

'You're one to talk,' she challenged.

'Come on,' Angel said gently, taking her hand and helping her up.

'Where are we going?' she asked curiously.

'My apartment,' Angel told her 'you're going to have something to eat and then you're going to get some sleep.'

******

When Angel returned, Cordy and Doyle were more then a little surprised to find Buffy with him.

'What does she want?' Cordy asked coldly.

'Buffy's going to stay here tonight,' Angel said firmly.

Doyle quirked an eyebrow.

'Don't get any ideas,' Angel said warningly.

'Oh yeah, Roxanne called,' Cordy told Angel.

'Roxanne?' Buffy asked, a hint of jealousy in her voice that did not go unmissed by Cordy.

'Yeah, Angel's girlfriend,' she said sweetly.

Doyle rolled his eyes slightly, 'She is not. She's just a client.'

'Okay Cordy,' Angel said quietly, 'would you mind making Buffy some supper? I would, but since I don't eat I really can't cook.'

Cordy looked at Buffy uncertainly

'Please?' Angel asked softly.

'Maybe I should go,' Buffy said hurt, realising that she was not welcome. Not that she could blame them.

'No,' Angel said firmly, 'You're staying'.

Before anyone could say anything, the phone rang. Cordy answered it, 'hey Will- I mean Wilfred, what's up?'

'Wilfred?!' Doyle asked in disbelief, 'and you thought my friends names were weird!'

Angel did not like the way Cordy kept glancing at him and Buffy. He could tell from the look on her face that she was up to something.

When the phone call ended Cordy grinned widely and said 'Hey Buff, lets get you something to eat.'

Angel narrowed his eyes suspiciously at her change of attitude, but said nothing.

By the time Buffy and Cordy had finished eating it was past midnight and Angel felt more then a little tires, although he had no idea why.

As if sensing this, Doyle excused himself and left, dragging a reluctant Cordy with him.

'Are you tired?' Angel asked Buffy once they were alone.

Buffy nodded and allowed Angel to show her to a bedroom. She frowned when she realised that it was his.

'Where are you going to sleep?' she asked in surprise, not even daring to hope that he'd sleep with her. Well, not with her in that sense, but next to her.

'The sofa,' Angel told her softly.

Buffy felt her hope sink and she shook her head, 'No, you've done enough already. I'll take the couch.'

'You're taking the bed,' Angel said firmly, in a tone that Buffy knew not to argue with.

'We could.share it,' Buffy suggested nervously. She couldn't believe what had come over her, but she just had this need to be held by Angel. She needed to know if he still loved her.

'I don't think so,' Angel said gently, 'Good night Buffy.'

He turned to walk away but stopped when he heard her ask in a small voice, 'You haven't forgiven me, have you?'

Angel spun around to find Buffy sat on his bed with tears running down her face. She turned away abruptly and tried to wipe her tears away.

'What?' Angel asked confused.

'You don't love me anymore. You can't forgive me,' Buffy repeated hurt.

'You think I don't love you?' Angel asked incredulously. He walked towards her and sat next to her on the bed. 'You think the reason I don't want to sleep with you is because I don't love you?' Angel repeated softly, 'You couldn't be more wrong. The truth is, I'm scared that being that close to you. I won't be able to control myself. Or worse still, that just holding you in my arms and waking up with you will break the curse,' he confessed.

Buffy's eyes widened with wonder. Before she could respond the phone rang. Angel picked it up and Buffy watched in concern as Angel paled slightly and froze in disbelief. When he hung up Buffy immediately asked him what was wrong.

'That was Willow,' Angel told her, still in a daze, 'they set us up to get us back together. And then they performed a spell.'

'A spell?' Buffy asked frowning, 'What type of spell?'

'They gave me my humanity,' Angel all but whispered, placing his hand over his now beating heart.

Buffy's reaction was much the same as Angel's at first. She simply sat there stunned. And then she was throwing her arms around him.

'You really love me still?' Buffy asked, wanting to make sure.

'Love lasts forever Buffy,' he murmured into her hair, 'I could never stop loving you. Ever.'

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