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Author's Chapter Notes:
If you check out chapter one, you will see the beautiful banner that Karyn made for me. Thanks to Tasha for betaing for me.
February 2, 1999 Sunday

Buffy woke up slowly again, but this time she took the time to glance around the room for any special surprises before she stretched her arms. She laid there with her eyes closed, going over the shopping goodness that she had participated in the day before with Willow. Not even running into Cordelia at the mall had brought down the two girl's spirits. Buffy had several new beautiful outfits including a sexy, short, deep blood-red dress to show for it.

Of course Buffy had felt like her every move was being watched, which for some strange reason hadn't freaked her out. Even stranger still, Buffy seemed to know when whoever was watching her approved or disapproved of her fashion choices. The tinglies hadn't been Angel. In fact, they had felt alot like ...

No, no, he promised. Didn't he? Buffy shook that thought out of her head. There was no way she was going to think about HIM. He was totally out of the equation, and there was no way he was going to enter her mind again. Even as she vowed that to herself, she knew he would find his way back into her thoughts again.

"Buffy, breakfast's ready," Buffy heard her mother call up the stairs, "I fixed your favorite."

The thought of her mom's famous chocolate chip pancakes made Buffy leap from the bed. She hurriedly got dressed in one of her new outfits, and put her new charm bracelet onto one slim, tanned wrist. Buffy sprinted down the stairs to the kitchen. The yummy smell of the pancakes hit her. Buffy's mouth watered.

"Sit down, Buffy. I almost have a plate ready for you," Joyce urged her daughter. The table was already set with silverware, plates, placemats and small pitchers of syrup.

Buffy picked up the pitchers to sniff the different kinds. Mmmm, nothing like pancakes with warmed syrup on them. Then she noticed a package setting on top of a black envelope next to her fork. Buffy picked the gift wrapped box up carefully. She turned it over and over in her hands. "Mom, what's this?"

"Not sure, honey. It was sitting on the table when I came down to start breakfast," Joyce answered. She hid her smile as she transferred the last of the pancakes onto the serving platter. When Joyce turned to take the plate to the table, she saw that Buffy was very carefully removing the paper off the present.

Once she got the paper removed from the gift box, Buffy neatly folded it next to her plate. She gasped when she opened the present. There, nestled in a bed of two-toned black and red velvet, laid a stake. It was handstakenly, no pun intended, carved and sanded smooth to the touch, right down to Buffy's initials etched in the grip. Buffy knew this was a stake to be proud of.

"That's certainly a thoughtful gift," Joyce exclaimed, and she put several pancakes on Buffy's plate. She put a couple pancakes on her own plate and poured syrup over them. Joyce chuckled when Buffy only hummed an answer, and moved on to the note.

Buffy picked up yet another satiny black envelope with blood red lettering. She brought the paper to her nose and sniffed. She attempting to get a clue to her admirer through any scent she could pick up. It was then Buffy noticed a lump inside the envelope. No longer able to contain her curiosity, Buffy tore open the letter. Peeking inside, she saw another small charm. This time it was a small stake, exactly like the wooden one still lying in the gift box, right down to the initials.

"What are you looking at, honey?" Joyce asked between bites of pancake.

Buffy tipped the envelope, and the charm dropped out onto her hand. She held it out to her mom who took it from her daughter. Buffy pulled the note out of the envelope, and she read it out loud as her mom graciously attached the newest charm to the bracelet on Buffy's wrist.

My feelings for you stake me through the heart from their intensity. Your secret admirer. P.S. I had this stake blessed so it will not disintegrate when you slay.

That poor boy and his poetic tendencies, Joyce thought to herself.

Buffy tapped the note against her mouth for a moment. She laid it down on the table, smoothed her hand over the stake one more time. and then poured syrup onto her pancakes. Buffy dug into her breakfast with gusto. She even took a second helping.

When breakfast was over, Joyce was surprised when Buffy offered to wash the dishes for her. Buffy said that the older woman had made breakfast. So, it was only right that Joyce did something pleasurable for a change instead of washing dishes. So that's how Joyce found herself calling Rupert Giles to see if he would like to accompany her on a tour of a museum just outside Sunnydale.

Once Buffy shooed her mother out the door, she picked up the telephone to call Willow. The two girls once again made arrangements to meet. This time they headed to the Bronze where Oz and his band were practicing for an out of town gig scheduled for the upcoming weekend. Buffy picked up a diet coke from the bar and slipped into the seat beside Willow.

"Hey Buffy. Let me see the bracelet," Willow exclaimed. She grabbed Buffy's arm to study the newest charm. "That's so cute. I love it. I told Oz about what was going on. He decided he wasn't going to be outdone by your secret admirer. So, he invited me to go with the band next weekend. Isn't that so exciting? Oh and we can mark Devon off the list, too. He's dating Harmony again. You would think he learned from the last time they dated. Boy howdy, I got to put up with her next weekend because she's going, too." Willow finally ran out of breath after her string of exclamations.

"Well, two down and many more choices to pick from," Buffy said laughingly.

The two girls listened to the band until it was time for lunch. They decided to try a new restaurant just down the street that Joyce had raved about for the past month. Buffy and Willow both ordered huge hamburgers, huge plank French fries and a diet Cokes. After the waitress left the two teenagers alone, Buffy decided to tell Willow about the strange tinglies she felt the day before at the mall.

"I felt like someone was watching me yesterday, approving or disapproving of all my fashion choices," Buffy informed her friend.

"Wow, was it creepy?" Willow asked. She smiled at the waitress who delivered the diet Cokes at that moment.

"Strangely enough, not really," Buffy answered. She took the wrapper off the straw, and she sipped her drink.

Willow looked at her friend with speculation before she said, "Looks like your secret admirer is secretly admiring you."





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