Angel watched Buffy storm out and Spike slowly coming to, he didn't know how to feel, he had been used to see the pair fight and bicker before he left for LA, especially the night Spike came back to kidnap Willow and Xander, he had stopped them from killing each other many times.

Then he had been stunned when he discovered that during his years in LA, their relationship changed, that their HAD a relationship, one he could not understand nor imagine.

Buffy said Spike had been helping, that he had gotten himself a soul, that the other one was in her heart. What a douche, getting a soul just to get into her pants !

Well, he might be unfair, Angel knowing more than anyone what a soul could do to a vampire with their past.

But the next thing he knew, he got chased out of Sunnydale just to protect Spike's feelings ?

Then Spike came back for the most irritating months of his life, unceasingly repeating how much he loved Buffy, how he willingly got a soul and died for her.. And decided to stay away from her, like he did after her graduation. Maybe Spike did love Buffy, Spike thought of Buffy's needs before his own, Spike understood that she needed a normal life.

Though he never really doubted Spike's ability to love : it had always disgusted Angelus and irritated Angel.

And Buffy.. Well, she was Buffy. How could one not fall in love with her ?

The question was what had she seen in Spike ?!

Too much was going on in his mind, too much information, images, questions, just too much !

The last three days had been like a roller coaster !

Seeing Buffy in Rome with The immortal, then her arriving in LA. Having her back in his life after thinking he had disappointed her, that she thought he had switched sides, that she didn't trust him anymore was a bliss.

He had talked to her, pouring his soul to her, telling her things he had hidden from all of his closest friends, just because she was Buffy. He had felt so much lighter after that.

He thought Spike was the past for her, their relationship had seemed to be over with Spike avoiding her and her ignoring him.

He thought that maybe she'd make it right again, like they used to be, before.. before everything.

But then he saw them, together, in the most crude way possible, Spike and Buffy weren't over, however volatile their relationship might be.

He could imagine the physical intercourse that happened, he knew it happened before, could bear with it and dismiss it.

He slept with Nina even though she hadn't been the One, even though he wasn't really in love with her.. He COULD understand lust.

But too bad it wasn't just lust, the affection she had in her eyes when she looked at the other vampire, how she scanned the party looking for him, and then when she asked to be left alone with him after Dawn's breakdown, THAT he could not dismiss.

Spike was telling the truth, as much as he tried to play blind, Spike and Buffy had had something true, it most certainly was still there.

He had tried to lie to himself, tried to lie to the overly empathic Lorne, but he saw her eyes when she tried to reach to Spike through the guilt. So gentle, understanding, overbearing.

They had something true and strong, something he could not let continue : it was too dangerous for her.

Still remembering what Dawnie said, about cheating, attempted rape and killings : how could he trust Spike with Buffy ?

He needed to protect her ! From Spike, from her too trusting and good nature.

Especially after seeing how dangerous the feelings they had for each other were. How Spike could lay his hand on her, hurt her once more.

He couldn't let Spike hurt Buffy ! He told himself again and again before going to sleep.

"Angel ! Wake up ! " a familiar voice called to him. "What the hell are you doing ?! What did you do ?!"

It was Cordelia who was calling him, she looked radiant, not sick and weak like the last time he saw her in her hospital bed.

She smiled at him. "Close your mouth and get dressed ! We've got to go !"

"Cordy ?!"

And in a second he was all dressed and following her in the corridors of W&H.

She brought him to the conference room where were waiting Gunn, Fred, Wesley and Lorne.

They didn't seem to be surprised to see her. They just started to talk about some things they had to do, the places they had to do, before he stopped them.

"We have to help Buffy ! Have to protect her ! " Angel cut their chit chat.

"What ? " they all asked. "From what ?"

"Spike ! I didn't leave her so that she'd be with him ! I wanted her to be happy and have a normal life ! Spike can't make her happy, he's dangerous ! He's a vampire ! "

"Did we see the same thing ? 'Cause I'm sure as hell she can protect herself ! " said Gunn.

"She's a slayer, The Slayer, she killed the master, you, a Hell God, the First and others you never knew about, she knows what she's doing." sentenced Wesley.

"It felt more like Spike needs our protection from her than the contrary." added Fred very uneasy.

"But Dawn said he had hurt her before and will do it again, he did things to her... "Angel argued.

"Dawn is 16 ! but let's pass on that, whats important is that are you sure you remember the same things we do ? " asked Lorne.

And then he turned on the TV and Dawn appeared, as she was the night before.

" I'm not Buffy ! you may have a special pass with her that she forgives you everything but not with me ! I'll never forgive you !! You hear me never ! "

" Yeah ! Dawn comes home late, she gets grounded, Willow and Anya got all the 'I'll kill you deal' and Giles gets ignored for weeks, but not Spike, right ?! "

" He sleeps with one of your best friend but it's OK since it's Spike, then he tries to RAPE you, kills people post-soul and the punishment is to move into our basement, ALWAYS gets forgiven ! Well I'm not you and I wish he STAYED Dead !! Real dead dead ! " The girl had tears in her eyes and her voice had started to get hoarse, she looked enraged but also a little sad and pained.

"See that's what she said ! "

"Listen again, without coloured glasses" Cordy soothed him.

"You may have a special pass with her that she forgives you"

"Buffy forgave Spike. Who are you to judge them ?" asked gently Cordy.

"But..."

"Buffy made choices and decisions, it's your turn now." said a very cryptic Cordy.

"She doesn't know what's she's doing. She needs my help." Angel said stubbornly.

"Angel, she doesn't, YOU need HER help."

"But... She can't even handle her life, how can she help us ?"

"YOU don't understand what you had done, what's happening !! Angel, I don't have much time here, YOU NEED HER HELP." Cordy stressed once again.

"But..."

"WE need her help." said his friends in unison looking at him.

"You need one more little push, I guess." sighed Cordelia sadly.

On the screen was appearing a dark alley two shadows he didn't recognise, at least until Cordy turned the volume on :

"Do you think it was credible ? Do you think the W&H spies bought it ? "

"Oh my nose and chin can testify and my jaw nominates you for the Emmy Awards. No way they'd think you were still in LA."

Spike was smiling at the dark haired girl Angel now recognised as Buffy.

She was looking at Spike, her eyes full of guilt, worry and... what else !?

"See, it's healed now." He was comforting her ?

And she was caressing his face before putting her hand back to her side regretfully.

"You weren't such a bad actor either." Buffy sounded quite sorry.

"You know the gang more than me, do you think they'll come to our side ? "

"I think they will."

"I'm still a little worried, we have nothing to offer but risks and danger and possibly death, compared to what they have now... Even I'd be tempted."

"You wouldn't, but they're good people, they want to fight on the good side, they will."

"And Angel... I thought he'd be the one who'd pull me away, he knows he's the only one strong enough." She seemed sad and worried. About HIM ?!

Angel now felt a pang of guilt stabbing him.

Cordy added once again :

"Don't judge what you don't know, honey. I'll be waiting for you. Don't forget me."

And she lean on to put a soft kiss on his lips.

Everything then blackened around him and he could only hear his friends say :

"We need Help ! We need her !! "

And Angel snapped out of his dream, catching a very unneeded breath.