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Author's Chapter Notes:
I love that you've been reading and following this story. It makes me so happy! Thanks so much for your Reviews :)
This chapter has not been beta'd. I plan on reposting it with corrections once it's been looked over. Hope you like it!
Chapter 3

“Angel,” she gasped. “Oh my God, come in!” She grabbed
him by the shirt and pulled him into her living
room. “You’re burning!”

He shook his head. “Just steaming.”

Putting his coat down on the couch, he looked around the house until his eyes finally landed on hers. He looked at her from head to toe. “Buffy. How are you? I mean, well, considering…”

“That I’m back from the dead? I’ve been better.”
He looked at her and she saw sadness and pity in his eyes. “Angel, don’t look at me like that, please.”

“I came as soon as I heard.”

“It’s been a month since I came back,” she told him.

“Why didn’t you call me?”

“I didn’t think you needed to know.”

“What? I didn’t need to know? Buffy, part of me died when I found out about your…”

“Death.” Seriously, why couldn’t anyone say it? “No one mentioned you being at my funeral. Guess you didn’t go.” She shrugged her shoulders.

“Buffy,” he took her hand in his, “I couldn’t bring myself to see your body.”

They looked each other in the eyes and she found she no longer felt the spark that had once been there. Just then Spike swung the living room door open.

“Slayer!” he yelled. “Come down here. We need to tal—“ He choked on his words when he saw the scene in front of him.

There stood his slayer, holding hands with his grandsire, lost in his eyes. Buffy jumped abruptly and turned to Spike.
“Spike!” She felt her heart ramming against her chest when she saw the look of jealousy and pain on his face.

“Spike?” Angel said a look of confusion on his face.

Buffy ran over to the peroxide blonde and took his hands. “Angel just found out that I was back and came by to see if I was okay.” She didn’t understand why she felt the need to explain her ex’s presence to Spike, but she did.

Spike looked down at his hands in hers then over at Angel, reveling in the look of disbelief he saw in the poofter’s eyes. Angel stood staring at Buffy and Spike’s hands. When Buffy realized what was going on between the two vampires she quickly loosened her grip on Spike.

“Angel, Spike’s been staying here since we blew up his crypt. He had nowhere to go and we have a… basement… so, we let him stay.” She looked down at her feet, not daring to look into her ex’s eyes.

“Spike. You let Spike stay here, evil Spike, soulless Spike, vampire Spike?” Angel’s face was sheer anger. She could feel the trembling of his growls from where she stood.

“Hey mate, last time I checked you weren’t walking around outside enjoying the lovely sunshine either.” Spike snapped at his grandsire.

“That’s true Spike, but I have a soul.”

“Oh and I supposed that makes you better than me? Aren’t you high and mighty?” Spike waved his arms up in the air dramatically.

“Ok, Spike,” Buffy placed her hand over his chest, “why don’t you go in the kitchen and get yourself a drink? Dawn brought home some pig’s blood fresh from the butcher last night after work.”

Spike looked at Angel and growled. Then looking at Buffy said,
“All right, love, I’ll get out of your hair, but if you need me just holler and I’ll come running.” He leaned down and gave her a kiss on the cheek, then shot Angel a look of warning, before turning and leaving.

Buffy stared after him, her cheeks burning and tingles running up and down her body. He’d been such an ass just a few minutes ago and now he was acting like they were a couple. Was it because he needed to prove something to Angel?

“So, you two are an item now?” Angel attempted to sound casual but the question was ground out in anger.

“What? No!” How was she going to explain this?

“Buffy, he’s all over you. I can smell him.”

“Angel, I just- wait, eww.”

“Vampire here. Can’t help it.”

“Well don’t tell me about it. Anyway, I needed someone to talk to, someone to be here. Do you know what it’s like to come back from the dead? To have to dig yourself out of your own grave?”

“Actually, yes, I do Buffy.”

“Well then you can understand why I wouldn’t want to be in the house by myself.” She tried her hardest not to roll her eyes at him.

“You’re right. I’m sorry. It just, well, it took me by surprise. Seeing you two, the way he was holding you, the way you understand each other. It looked like you’re a couple.”

“Yeah, it’s taken me by surprise too.”

“He’s been here for you then? You haven’t had to do this by yourself?”

Buffy looked down at the floor. “It’s complicated Angel.”

He walked to her and took her hand, placing his other one under her chin and lifting her head up to look at him. “Buffy, how’ve you been? Honestly. You look like you’ve been through hell.”

“Thanks,” she said sarcastically.

“You know what I mean. You look tired and well, are you eating? You can’t still be patrolling like this Buffy. Tell me you’re been taking a break.”

She shook her head. “Slayers don’t take breaks Angel.”
Buffy walked over to the couch and threw herself down on it. Angel just looked at her and wondered what it was about her that was different. There was something more than her physical appearance.

Spike stood by the kitchen door and tried to listen in on what was happening in the living room. Why the devil is he here?

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Buffy asked Angel.
She could almost see the thoughts running through his mind.

He walked over and sat down next to her. “Do you love him Buffy?”

She looked at him, shock written all over her face. “I don’t think that’s any of your business.”

“That’s my Slayer,” Spike whispered to himself from the kitchen.

“I know, I know Buffy. I’m not in your life anymore, but-“

“That’s right Angel. You left. You made a conscious decision to leave me, and you lost the right to know about my personal life when you did that.”

“I know Buffy but…”

“Angel,” she said, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. “He was here. He’s been here. Every moment of this, from the moment I came back, he’s been here for me.” She smiled. “He’s been sitting outside my bedroom door at night, making sure I’m all right. He doesn’t know I know. Every night since I’ve been back I have sensed his presence right outside my door. So yeah, how could I not feel something for someone who will allow himself that much vulnerability? He sees me, Angel. He gets me in ways no one else does. But love? I don’t know about love. Maybe someday, I don’t know.”

Angel nodded his head in understanding. He got up and looked toward the door. She shot up off the couch.

“You’re not leaving are you?”

“Buffy, I came to see that you were alright, and now I see that you are. It’s time for me to go.”

“Angel, stay. Just for tonight. L.A.’s so far away, and you need to rest before you drive back. Willow’s gone for the week-end, why don’t you stay in her room?”

“Do you want me to?” He stepped closer to her, the hope evident in his eyes.

Buffy looked down at the floor and stammered, “O-of course.” She shyly peaked up at him and he smiled.

“Then, I’ll stay.”

Upon hearing his adversary say those words, Spike made his way out of the kitchen making sure his demeanor remained calm. The last thing he wanted to do was make a scene. In past years that would have been exactly what he’d done. Not now, not in front of Buffy. He loved her too much to set her feelings into unease; he knew that’s exactly what the tension between him and his grandsire would do. Instead, Spike approached the poofter with a smile plastered on his face and slapped his arm around the back of his shoulder.

“So, I hear you’ll be staying with us for the night.” Angel looked from the hand on his back to Spike’s face. “Why don’t I show you to your room?” Spike continued in a sugar coated voice. On the inside he wanted to tear Angel’s head off and turn him to dust.
Sensing the tension between them, Buffy walked over to the pair. She took Spike’s hand off of Angel’s back and gave him a threatening look. Spike did not notice, his attention was on the way she held on to his hand even after having removed it from Angel. The taller vampire looked down at their joined hands causing Buffy to follow his eyes and quickly release her hold on Spike. Looking the blonde in the eyes she said,

“I’ll show Angel to his room.” Then she smiled and added, “But thank-you for offering.”

Spike noticed a tone of sarcasm in her voice and saw her anger in the way she had plastered a smile on her face to cover it up. “You stay down here and watch Passions or something.”

He walked over to the couch and unceremoniously threw himself on it. “Fine, have it the way you want it, love. Just tryin’ to help out.”

She placed her hand on Angel’s back and turned toward the stairs throwing Spike a threatening look before going up. He held his hands up and shrugged as if he had no bad intentions and was truly trying to help.

Once upstairs, Buffy showed Angel to Willow’s room. “You can sleep here tonight.” She walked over to the window and closed the shades. “ These block the light pretty well but there are extra drapes in the closet if you think you need to use them.”

He nodded as he sat on the twin size bed. The sight of the dark, brooding vampire on the pink floral bedding made her want to laugh. “Well, I guess I’ll let you get settled.”

She felt him grab her arm as she turned. She turned back to him, aiming her punch at his face but he caught it in his hand. Buffy blushed in embarrassment. “Sorry, slayer reflex.”

“It’s okay. Good to know you’re on top of the game, even after everything.”

“Yeah.” She had no desire to discuss her ordeal any further. She looked down at her feet and wondered if she’d ever stop feeling so out of whack every time someone mentioned her death and resurrection to her. The mere mention of it made her feel like she didn’t belong, she felt out of place and awkward.

“Buffy,” his voice thundered into her thoughts, “stay?”
She looked at him and saw the pleading look in his eyes. She had never been able to deny that look, so she nodded and sat next to him on the bed. Taking her hand in his, he placed it on his lap.

“How are you, really?”

She looked at where his eyes rested on their joined hands and then back up into his eyes. “I’m good, Angel,” she lied. “It’s all strange and everything is different since I’ve been back but, things are starting to look up.”

She thought of Spike and the night they’d spent together. A smile spread over her face and Angel took it as a sign of her being alright after all. He didn’t however, like the thought of Spike living with her and he did not like the small signs they’d shown of their coming together. Seeing that he was in deep thought, Buffy pretended to yawn deeply in order to avoid the conversation she knew he’d want to have with her. He awoke from his reverie, looked at her and smiled. “It’s late,” he said. “You must be tired. Why don’t you get some rest?”

She smiled. “You mean, it’s early and you need some rest. My day’s just begun.”

He smiled back. “You’re right. Good night Buffy or good morning, rather,” he said leaning over and kissing her cheek.

“Good night, Angel.” She told him and kissed him in return.

She left the room and shut the door behind her. Taking a deep breath, she pushed herself forward and walked down the stairs mentally preparing herself for the confrontation that would surely take place with Spike.


Chapter End Notes:
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