DISCLAIMER: The characters belong to Joss Whedon, FOX and ME. Not to me.
RATING: G
SUMMARY: Sequel to Faded Pictures. Set after the 3rd season episode "Helpless", Angel took Buffy to see the ice show instead of her father.
DEDICATION: To Michelle and her mom; To Alex; To Kim who will not believe I wrote this. To my amazing friends cim and Shawn and the hilarious but mia dudette of the awesome four- Trin.

Flap! Buffy slipped and fell on her butt. She started laughing, and brushed her gloved hands on her sweater. She got up, trying to balance herself.

"My butt is all wet now!" She laughed and skated her way on the ice. Angel leaned on the parapet and watched her. An amused, relaxed smile on his face.

Buffy was feeling exalted the entire evening. It was the first time she didn't go to the ice show in Los Angeles with her father. Last year when he took her to the Sunnydale show, she was in a bad mood and couldn't even fake a happy face for her dad. No wonder he skipped it this year, Buffy thought, he probably thinks I get mopey-Buffy on my birthdays now.

But sitting cuddled in Angel's strong arms, protecting her from the evil that was her real life, made her feel the night was magical. She had no strength; she was just a girl. In the arms of her- okay, vampire boyfriend. But there was no pressure, no supernatural threat, and she could really relax and enjoy Angel's touch.

The show was over. Dorothy Hamill disappeared after her guest appearance. And the people started flowing out of the arena. Buffy took Angel's hand when he was about to go with the rest of the people to the exit. She pulled him to a stop.

"We're not going that way," She whispered to him in the din.

"Buffy, I really think-" He started saying, but she pulled him away from the crowd.

"Sure you didn't get your powers back?" Angel joked, but Buffy couldn't hear him in all the noise around and continued leading him away from the people.

"What's your size?" Buffy asked as they reached the skates renting zone, which was of course abandoned.

"You know we're breaking the law here," Angel whispered as Buffy removed her shoes quickly and put on a pair of skates.

"Yeah, that would be a first. C'mon, honey, don't be so tense." Buffy smiled at him and got up. "You wanna watch me first?"

Angel was silent for a moment. "Yeah... I'd like that." He finally uttered.

Buffy, still giggling in excitement, slithered over to Angel, performing a few loops, the kind that got her on her bottom the first time. She reached him and stabilized herself holding his hands.

"Come on, put the blades on." She smiled at him. Angel glanced at the skaters Buffy got for him.

"I don't know Buffy... I've never-"

"I'm sure you learned things after you got, you know, vamped. I mean.. Do you know how to drive?"

"I... I do..."

"You do? Man, when did you learn to drive?" Buffy didn't hide her jealousy.

"Uh," Angel rubbed the back of his neck. "Around the time they invented cars... I kinda... We had fun with it..." He got uncomfortable.

"Oh wow. Do you have a license?" She asked, then her curiosity was piqued,

"Fun? What kind of fun?"

He Angel looked away uncomfortably. "Um, demons fun..."

"Oh.."

"Yes."

"But anyway, with skates you hardly cause any harm... um, except for slitting someone's throat, which I have... but it was a demon, so..." She looked over to see Angel trying to restrain a smile.

"Put them on. And I'll keep you safe." She smiled at him.

"See it's really easy!" Buffy smiled as Angel made his first step into the rink. Looking embarrassed. He glanced to both sides before putting the other foot on the ice.

Buffy laughed.

"Isn't it... too girlie?" He asked.

"No! It's just... watching you on the ice... I've always hated that we were interrupted by that one eyed monster- uh, I mean..." Buffy blushed, but fortunately Angel didn't notice anything, just waited to hear what she wanted to say.

"You know I always wished I could see you like this... because seeing you doing normal things, I thought it would make me feel, like I'm normal too." Angel moved towards her, stepping carefully on the ice. "This is normal?" He asked, "You'd have to teach me."

Buffy skated over to him and held his hands. "Come on, do what I do," She instructed, holding his hand, showing him her moves.

"See?" She smiled when he tried to mimic her movements. She turned to face him and grabbed his other hand. She slid backwards, looking at him with a big genuine smile stretched on her face. Angel was busy looking down at his feet. He felt clumsy next to her smooth slide.

"See, we already in the center!" Buffy grinned. Angel looked up. And then he lost his balance and fell down, in his attempts to balance himself, Buffy fell down and he landed on top of her.

They looked awkwardly at each other for a moment. Then Buffy laughed. She lifted her face up and planted a kiss on his lips. Angel was surprised for a moment, but then he returned the kiss, resting his hand on her face.

"Ow…" Buffy broke the kiss. "Cold…"

"I'm sorry…" He apologized, moving up.

"Not you, okay you too, but I meant the ice. My clothes are getting wet." She straightened. Angel got up to his feet and helped her up.

She smiled and hugged him.

"We better go. You'll catch a cold."

"Fine," She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him again. "Let's go…"

"Yeah…" He whispered against her mouth. "Let's…" She didn't let him finish and attacked his mouth again.

Buffy pressed herself against Angel's firm body. He nearly lost his balance again, and pulled away, still holding her arm. "Let's… go to the mainland…" He whispered hoarsely.

She smiled and led him out of the ice rink.

"Did you have fun?" Buffy asked as they both sat down, taking their skates away.

"It was… special." He half-smirked at her.

"Well, if you want-"

"No, it's okay." He rushed to say.

"Or we can go to a movie." Buffy smiled.

"A movie would be fine. C'mon, you're shaking like a leaf." He took off his coat and put it around her.

"Thanks…" She smiled at him.

"But, you had fun tonight, right?"

"Yeah, it was great. It's been a while since I had actual fun." She was beaming at him and reached out to take his hand. "This is one of the things I want to remember always."

"You better, because I'm not going on that ice ever again. Come on, I'll walk you home." Angel started walking and she followed him, taking his hand as they walked into the cool air of the night.

"I thought you had fun."

"Yeah… I guess there was fun involved."

"If you practice more-"

"Buffy."

"You can really improve."

"Buffy, I really don't-"

"It's more fun when you're actually sliding…"

"I dunno, I prefer just watching you."

"But if you try, just-"

"Buffy,"

"Okayyyy… so what movie do you wanna go to?"

"Whatever you want is fine with me."

"Fine, leave all the tough choices to me."

"Tough choices?"

"I'm kidding. There's like one movie playing the entire week."

"Oh. Okay."

"We don't have to go if you don't want to."

"It's been a while."

"I remember."

"So are you trying to disprove my theory?" Angel smiled at her softly.

"Hmm?"

"I said it's easier to remember the bad things." He reminded her.

"The good things look more like a dream." Buffy said, saddened. She stopped walking and looked at Angel. "Did we dream it?"

He pulled her close, taking comfort in her warmth and kissed her forehead. "I don't think so, Buffy."

"You're right. In my dreams you've never… " She looked at him and blushed. "Okay maybe in one… but it was modified."

Angel half-smiled again. "Don't worry about it. It's good that you have dreams. Maybe one day they will come true."

"I hope so." Buffy took his hand again and they walked silently the rest of the way to her house.

//If every moment is a memory
A faded photograph of days gone by
Can I take a little piece of you with me
For When I leave this all behind//

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