Part Twenty-Five

"Oh my god," exclaimed Cordelia. "Where did you get that necklace?"

Buffy placed her hand over it, still unable to believe it was there; that it existed at all. Smiling, she said, "Angel gave it to me as a graduation present. Do you like it?"

"Like it?" she asked. "I love it." She took a closer look at it. "It's real, too. With that emerald and all those diamonds...geez, how many are there?"

"Twenty seven."

"You're kidding. Twenty seven diamonds -- real diamonds at that -- and one emerald, this necklace must have cost him a fortune."

Buffy shrugged. "He didn't say. Just said he had it specially made for me. And I didn't want to ask him, I would have sounded ungrateful."

"Well, if I had to take a guess, I'd say it cost close to two grand," guessed Cordelia.

Buffy almost choked on her potato chip. "Two thousand dollars? Are you serious?"

"Well, it's a ballpark figure, so I'm only guessing. But it wasn't cheap, Buffy. Man, how did you ever get so lucky? I was lucky to get a bracelet from Xander for my birthday, much less a two thousand dollar necklace as a graduation present. I'm willing to bet Angel's loaded and you're going to be getting some nice presents from now on."

"He said he got me two gifts."

Cordelia's eyes widened. "Angel got you something else? Christ, gorgeous, rich and generous. Does he have a brother? Better yet, can I just have him?"

Buffy laughed. "Hands off my boyfriend."

"I was only kidding. I wouldn't dream of taking him. For as much of a loser as Xander is, I would not trade him for the world."

Willow ran over to them, flushed and out of breath. "Hi, guys. Sorry I'm late. Oz and I got a little tied up."

"That's okay. You didn't really miss anything," Buffy told her.

"Are you crazy? Angel gives you the mother of all graduation gifts and you say that she didn't miss anything?" demanded Cordelia.

"What?" Willow asked. "What did Angel get you, Buffy?"

She pointed to her necklace. "This."

"Wow. It's beautiful."

"And expensive," added Cordelia. "And he got her something else too."

"There's more?"

"Uh-huh." The brunette caught sight of Xander waving to her from the other side of the yard. "Xander wants me. See you two in a bit." Under her breath, she mumbled, "Lucky bitch."

Buffy turned to Willow. "So, how come you're late?"

"I told you, Oz and I got tied up."

"Willow..."

Willow sighed. "Okay. You're my best friend, Buffy, so I should at least tell you. Can you keep a secret?"

"You know I can, Willow. Spill it already."

"Alright. After graduation, Oz and I went back to his place and...we...well, we..." She struggled to find the right words.

"What is it? Did something--" Then Buffy realized what her best friend was saying. "Willow, you and Oz...?"

Willow nodded. "Yep."

Buffy grabbed her hand, dragging her into the privacy of her own bedroom, closing the door behind them to insure nobody would overhear. "You slept with Oz?"

"Yeah. It wasn't like we planned it or something. I didn't wake up this morning and say 'I'm going to have sex with Oz after graduation today.' It just sort of happened."

"Come on, I want details. Not *all* the details, but some details. How did it happen?"

"Like I said, we went back to his place and his parents weren't home. He said he wanted to give me my present. It was a song, a slow, beautiful song he wrote for me. So I kissed him and it just went on from there."

"How did you know, though? That you were ready?" Buffy wanted to know.

Willow bit her lip. "Do you know that voice in the back of your head that tells you to stop?"

Buffy nodded. "I'm on close, intimate terms with that voice."

"Well, when I started kissing Oz, it wasn't telling me to stop. Instead, I heard a voice that said, 'You love him. Show him how much; show him what he means to you.' That's when I knew I was ready."

She stared in awe of Willow. "Wow. What was it like?"

"It wasn't the way romance novels make it out to be. At first, it hurt. A lot. Like someone was ripping me apart from the inside. But it started hurting less and less, and then it started to feel good. I won't lie, Buffy, I cried, it hurt so much. It was worth it in the end to feel that close to Oz."

Amazed, Buffy shook her head. "I wonder if I'll ever get to experience something like that," she pondered.

"You mean you've never even thought about it?"

"Sure I have. I just don't know if it's ever going to happen."

"It will, Buffy."

"I don't know." Buffy grimaced. "Maybe I'm a prude for wanting to wait."

"You have to wait until it feels right," Willow said.

Buffy exhaled. "I could be dead and gone by the time I'm ready to sleep with someone. Right now, I'm living vicariously through my fantasies."

Willow grinned. "Would a certain tall, handsome Watcher-in-training play a starring role in those fantasies?" she teased.

"Perhaps. We better get back to the party before they start wondering what happened to us."

As they were walking down the stairs, Willow asked, "Didn't Cordelia say Angel got you something else?"

"Yeah. But I don't get it until later. The suspense is killing me."

********

The party ended at two in the morning, leaving the backyard filled with cans of soda, paper plates and napkins. The four remaining people -- Buffy, Angel and Mrs. and Mr. Summers -- spent an hour cleaning it all up.

"Let me help with the dishes, Mom," offered Buffy.

Mrs. Summers waved her away. "Your father and I can handle it. Don't worry. You two can go into the other room."

"Okay." Buffy knew Angel would be giving her the other present, and she couldn't wait. She was definitely excited.

"Looks like your party was a success," Angel said to her once they sat down in the living room.

"Seems so. I got a lot of compliments on the necklace you gave me." She giggled. "Cordy wanted to know if she could borrow you. I said no way."

He smirked. "I take it that means you're not ready to get rid of me yet?"

"Not by a longshot. You're stuck with me for a long time."

"Good. I can't think of anyone I'd rather be stuck with." He planted a kiss on her cheek. "Which reminds me, I believe I owe you another present."

"Angel, you really didn't have to. The necklace was more than enough," Buffy said.

He shook his head in disagreement. "I've already gotten the okay from your mother and Giles. Now all I need is your approval."

"My approval?" she asked. "For what?"

Angel took the two pieces of paper out of his pocket. "Remember when I told you how I wanted to visit my mother's grave and you said you'd go with me when I go?"

"Yes."

"How does this weekend sound?"

"What? What are you talking about, Angel?"

"I have in my hands two first class tickets leaving Friday evening for San Francisco."

Buffy's mouth fell open. "You want me to go away with you this weekend?"

"Only if you want to go, Buffy. I've arranged for the entire weekend. We'll leave Friday at seven and come back Monday at noon. I booked a room at the Sheraton with two double beds. But if you are at all uncomfortable with that, I'll book you a private room. Your mother already said yes, and Giles has agreed to take care of patrol. What do you say, Buffy?"

"It's too much. You shouldn't have done all of this."

"I told you already. I wanted to. Will you go to San Francisco with me this weekend?"

Buffy nodded. "Of course I will."

********

When Angel left half an hour later, Buffy ran into her bedroom to call Willow. She had promised to call when she received Angel's final gift.

"Will, it's me. Is it too late to be calling?" Buffy asked over the phone.

"No, I'm still up. Well, what happened?"

"Angel left a couple minutes ago. You wouldn't believe what else he got me."

"What?" Willow wanted to know.

"He's taking me to San Francisco this weekend."

"That is so awesome. So that means you'll be sharing a hotel room with him, right?"

"Uh-huh. I love the present; a weekend away from Sunnydale is so thoughtful of him. But I can't help wondering..."

Willow had an idea of where Buffy was headed. "You think he might expect something of you beyond kissing?"

"Yeah. We've been taking things slow since the incident with Giles and Geoffrey Kensington. And it's been working out great; getting to know each other without worrying about what the other might think. I love him, no doubt about it. But what if this trip is his way of saying he wants to speed things up?"

"Do you think it is?"

"I don't know. I trust Angel, and most of me says no, he wouldn't do that. And a smaller part of me says he's only taking me to San Francisco so we can sleep together," Buffy told her.

"Do you want to sleep with him?"

"A little bit personal, don'tcha think, Will?"

"Buffy, with everything I told you about me and Oz, I would think you could confide in me. Do you?"

Buffy thought she'd need time to think about her answer, but she didn't. "Yes. I want to make love to him. But I don't know if I'm ready for that this weekend."

"The only thing I can tell you is to wait and see. When you're ready, you'll know it. And if Angel expects it this weekend and you don't want to, maybe he isn't the man you think he is."

"You're right, Willow. I won't know until we get there. I'm just going to have to wait and see."

Part Twenty-Six

Cordelia and Willow dragged Buffy into the store. They were at the mall helping her shop for clothes for her weekend in San Francisco. Buffy and Angel were leaving later that day, but Cordelia insisted on a last-minute shopping spree.

"I've packed more than enough stuff. I'm only going for two days," Buffy admonished.

"Yes, but you need something special to wear," Cordelia said.

"I don't think I'm going to find it here." Buffy looked around. "No, I know it."

"Buffy," Cordelia started. "You're going away with Angel for an entire weekend. Three nights in a hotel room with a man whose bones you *so* obviously want to jump. And you're going to wear flannel pajamas to bed? No way."

Buffy sighed. "Cordy, I'm not wearing one of these things to sleep. God, they don't even cover anything."

Cordelia laughed at Buffy's naivete. "I believe that's the whole point. It's not supposed to cover anything."

Willow held up a see-through garment. "Check this one out. It's so short."

"I hardly doubt these could be considered bedtime wear."

"Come on, live a little, Buffy."

She shook her head. "Not in that thing."

Cordelia gave up. "Fine. Look, you guys go off and I'll meet you in the food court in twenty minutes."

"Okay." Willow and Buffy left the lingerie shop, heading for the music store.

"Are you excited about tonight?" Willow wanted to know.

"Yeah, I am. Two whole days away from Sunnydale is just what I need."

Willow smiled. "Actually, I was talking about spending the weekend with Angel."

"Yeah, like I don't know what you're getting at, Will. Yes, I'm excited. But I'm nervous, too."

"About sleeping in the same room with him?"

"Kinda. I mean, I've slept in the same bed with him before, but that was before the whole 'us as a couple' thing."

"So you'll be uncomfortable?"

"I don't know. He did say two beds, so we'll see what happens, and Angel told me if I felt weird he'd book me my own room."

"See, at least he's accommodating. Buffy, do you think that...have you thought about...sleeping with him?"

Buffy shut her eyes. "Yeah."

"Yeah as in 'yes, I've thought about it' or as in 'yes, I'm going to sleep with him'?"

"The first one. I still don't think I'm ready yet. But who knows, maybe things'll change this weekend."

Fifteen minutes later, Cordelia joined them in the food court. "I'm back."

"We missed you," commented Willow.

"Yep, we did." Buffy looked at the package Cordelia was carrying. "What did you get?"

"Something for you, actually."

"Me?" Buffy asked with raised eyebrows. "What is it?"

Cordelia handed her the bag. "Open it and find out."

Buffy opened the box, unwrapping the tissue paper around the contents. She held it up, finding a light blue satin nightgown so thin Buffy could see Willow through the material. "Thanks, Cordy, but I don't think I will be getting any use out of it this weekend."

"Bring it with you."

"It was a nice thought, but I don't think so."

********

Buffy and Angel landed in San Francisco at seven-thirty, and he rented a black convertible for the weekend. The Sheraton was located only a few miles from the airport, so they arrived at the hotel by eight. With their suitcases in hand, Angel led her to the lobby. He put their bags down when they reached the reception desk.

"Hello, Sir. Do you have a reservation?" the man behind the desk asked.

"Yes, I do. Angel Reilly."

The man searched the computer screen. "Ah, yes. Three nights." He eyed Buffy suspiciously, but said nothing. "That'll be nine-fifty. Credit card only."

Buffy's eyes widened with shock. Nine hundred and fifty dollars? That's insane.

Angel placed his Visa card on the counter. He glanced at Buffy, who stood a few feet behind him, and flashed her a smile. She returned it.

The man returned the credit card to Angel. "Everything's all set, Sir. Your room is ready, here is your key. Your young lady and yourself will be staying in room 503. Do you need assistance with your suitcases? I can ring for a bellhop."

"No, thank you. I can carry them myself." Picking up the bags once more, they walked to the elevator.

The doors closed in front of them after they stepped inside. Angel pressed the button labeled 5. "Angel?" Buffy asked.

"Yeah, Buffy?"

"How much does this room cost a night?"

"Why?"

"I want to know. I'm curious, I guess."

"A little over three hundred a night."

She coughed. "It's so expensive for a hotel room. Why would you spend so much? And can you even afford it?"

"Buffy, please don't worry about it. Everything's taken care of."

They didn't say anything until Angel opened the door to their hotel room. Buffy gasped out loud when she saw the room.

"It's huge! This room is bigger than my entire house."

"So you like it?"

"I love it."

She walked around the room, which had its own kitchen, couch, walk-in closets and a private balcony with an unobstructed view of the Golden Gate Bridge. Two double beds sat near the entrance to the balcony, with a TV and VCR, small refrigerator and two dressers.

"I'm glad you like it," Angel said to her.

"This is so great. Thank you."

"Is there anything special you wanted to do tonight?"

The question threw Buffy. Oh God. He does expect something this weekend. What am I going to do now? "Nothing I can think of. What do you want to do?" She really wanted to hear what he had to say.

Angel shrugged. "I was hoping you had an idea. Truthfully, I wouldn't mind just sitting here in the room and relaxing and watching television."

"That's fine with me. Relaxing is good."

"That is why I brought you here. So you could relax."

Buffy took her bag and lifted it off the bed. "I'm going to take a shower, okay?"

"Sure. I'll find something for us to watch."

"Okay."

Buffy walked into the bathroom and undressed herself. She took a towel off the rack, carrying it into the shower with her. Under the hot water, she began to wonder what the weekend held for her, for them. They were going to visit Carolyn Reilly's grave Saturday morning, but Buffy didn't know what Angel had planned for them after that. It finally dawned on her that she was alone with him for over two days. More than forty-eight hours to learn more about each other. But how much? she wondered.

Stop it, Buffy. You need to stop worrying so much. If anything happens that you don't want to, all you have to do is say no. Angel will understand, Buffy told herself. I think.

She got out of the shower, thoroughly cleaned and ready for the relaxing night ahead of her. Opening her suitcase, she pulled out a tank top and a pair of flannel pants. "Oh, what the hell," she said, grabbing the nightgown Cordelia bought for her, putting it on. Taking a look in the mirror, Buffy felt self-conscious. She could see right through the material. It was too embarrassing to wear in front of Angel. Searching through her suitcase, Buffy found the robe she'd packed. Quickly, she put it on.

"All done," Buffy said when she returned to the room where Angel sat on the couch.

"I found something we can watch. How do you feel about Sleepless In Seattle? It's on at nine," Angel suggested.

"Works for me."

They walked over to the bed and Angel turned on the television while Buffy sat down.

"Do you mind if I sit next to you?" he asked.

She smiled. "Not at all. It's a big bed. Plenty of room for one more."

Angel sat next to her. He stayed at least half a foot away, wanting to give her some personal space in case she felt uncomfortable. He was pleasantly surprised when she moved over, her arm pressed against his.

Neither one moved in the course of the two hour movie. They sat with their backs against the headboard, holding hands. Buffy tried her best to keep her eyes opened. She leaned her head on his shoulder, her robe falling off her shoulder, revealing the thin strap of her nightgown. Noticing, Angel reached over to fix it.

She had fallen asleep by the time the movie ended. "Buffy?" Angel whispered. "Buffy, wake up. The movie's over."

"Umm," she moaned, opening her eyes. "What's going on?"

"You fell asleep," he told her with a loving smile. "The movie's over. Why don't we go to sleep."

"Okay," she agreed, yawning.

He climbed off the bed and went into the bathroom to change. Buffy removed her robe and hung it in the closet, returning to her bed, covering herself up to her chin. She moved to the far side of the bed, expecting Angel to join her.

When he came out of the bathroom, he turned off the light and laid down in his own bed. Buffy was disappointed, but relieved at the same time. "Good night, Angel."

"Good night, Buffy."

Part Twenty-Seven

Buffy awoke to the sound of running water coming from the bathroom. Turning her head, after rubbing the remnants of sleep from her eyes, she found the bed next to her empty. The clock on the bedstand read eight thirty-four, making her moan. She liked sleeping in on weekends, not waking up before nine.

"Ugh," she said, getting out of bed and putting her robe on over her revealing nightgown.

Buffy pulled her suitcase onto the bed, deciding to unpack while Angel showered. She kept a pair of black jean shorts, a white blouse and a sweatshirt aside for her to wear that day. Just as she finished hanging up the last of her clothes, Angel entered the room. She was more than a little surprised to see him walking around wearing only a towel around his waist. Her heart raced.

"Morning," she said, stepping out of the closet.

He was caught off-guard. "Buffy, I didn't realize you were up. I thought you would still be sleeping."

"So you thought you'd walk around the room in a towel while Buffy was asleep?" she commented with a laugh.

Angel's cheeks turned a bright red. "I forgot my pants and thought I could sneak in here without waking you."

"Well, I'm awake. But I won't look." Buffy moved to face the other way, the image of him wrapped in a towel burned into her memory.

He found a pair of pants and went back into the bathroom. Sighing a breath of relief, Angel dropped the towel and began to get dressed. After shaving and combing his hair, he returned to the room, finding Buffy fully dressed. He frowned slightly. What did you expect to find?  Buffy waiting on the bed and begging you to touch her? Don't be stupid.

"All done in the bathroom?"

"Yeah. Sorry I took so long," Angel apologized.

"Well, I'll forgive you this time," she joked. "I won't be long. Just have to fix my bed head. My hair is probably doing wacky things."

"You look fine."

She shook her head. "Trust me, no I don't. I'll be out in a few minutes."

"Would you like me to order some room service?" Angel asked. "They've got eggs, bacon, pancakes, french toast and omelettes. What would you like?"

Buffy laughed. "How about all of the above? I'm starving. But seriously, anything is fine. I'll be out in a few minutes."

Angel picked up the phone, calling for room service. He ordered a little bit of everything: scrambled eggs, pancakes, french toast, muffins, bacon, sausage and juice. He'd finished ordering mere seconds before Buffy left the bathroom.

"So, what did you order for me?" she asked.

"You'll have to wait and see."

She crunched up her face in an expression of annoyance. "I hate that."

"What?"

"When people say that to me. I don't like surprises."

"You said you were starving," Angel pointed out.

"True. How long until it gets here?"

Angel shrugged. "They didn't say. But I would assume twenty minutes or so."

"Alright. Do you mind if I give my mother a call? Let her know I'm here and still alive."

"You don't need to ask me."

"I was being polite."

She dialed her home phone number. Mrs. Summers picked up on the third ring. "Hello?"

"Hi, Mom. It's me."

"Buffy. How's your trip so far?'

"So far so good. You should see our hotel room. You could fit our entire house in here."

Mrs. Summers laughed. "Angel informed me the hotel would be nice."

"It is."

"How is Angel?"

"Good. We chilled out here last night."

"Honey, I don't want to ask you this, but I feel I have to. Are you being careful?"

Buffy glanced at Angel, who sat on the couch reading a magazine. "Mom!"

"Sorry, but I want to make sure."

"You don't have to worry, my virtue is still intact. Angel hasn't even attempted to kiss me since we got here," she whispered.

"Well, that's a load off my mind. Not that I don't trust you two, but..."

"I know what you mean. He's not like other guys, he didn't bring me here to have sex, Mom."

"Yeah, I know. I told him I trusted him and I do. But I know how things can get out of control, Buffy."

"I'm a big girl, Mom. If he tries anything I can kick his ass." There was a knock on the door, and Angel returned a minute later with a cart of food. "I gotta go, room service is here. I'll see you Monday. Bye, Mom."

Before hanging up, Mrs. Summers replied. "Bye, honey. Be careful this weekend."

Buffy met Angel at the table in the kitchen area. "God, how much food did you order?" she asked, looking wide-eyed at all the food.

"A little of everything."

"You weren't kidding. There's enough food here for an army."

"Or for a hungry Slayer."

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's dig in."

********

"You must have a great sense of direction if you can remember how to get here after three years," commented Buffy.

They drove slowly down the narrow path through the cemetery. Grave after grave, they all looked the same to Buffy. But she remained keenly aware that each one was a lasting reminder of a lost life.

"I don't think I'm likely to forget how to get here. It's only a little further down the road. We'll be there in a minute," said Angel.

She nodded, staring at all the gravestones, knowing that one of them held Angel's mother. The car came to a stop and he cut the engine. Buffy opened the door, clutching her purse and several red carnations. She linked arms with Angel, him leading her to his mother's grave.

A marble carving of an angel jutted from the ground.  It read:

CAROLYN ELIZABETH REILLY
DAUGHTER, MOTHER AND PROTECTOR
December 27, 1957 - August 7, 1978

"She was killed on my sixth birthday."

"Oh, Angel. How horrible."

"I've always hated celebrating my birthday. Geoffrey used to make me celebrate the day after because I'd associate August 7th with the day she died. Now, I haven't even bothered in three years. It's just another day to me," Angel told her.

"I'm so sorry, Angel. I didn't realize."

He smiled at her. "That's okay." He placed half a dozen red roses on the grass in front of the headstone, saying a silent prayer. Buffy did likewise, but instead of praying, she thanked Carolyn for giving her the man she loved.

Angel wiped away his solitary tear with the back of his hand. He'd expected to be emotional, but didn't want Buffy to see his tears. However, she saw.

"Angel? Are you okay?"

"Yeah. A little overwhelmed is all."

"Do you want to stay awhile longer?"

He shook his head. "I think I'm ready to go."

They walked back to the car hand in hand. He held the door open for her like the gentleman he was. When they reached the road once again, Buffy asked him what he had planned for the rest of the day.

"It's a surprise."

"You know I hate surprises."

"You'll love this one."

********

Love it she did. Angel took her to dinner at a fancy Italian restaurant, remembering that it was her favorite type of food. He topped it off with a sunset boat ride through the San Francisco Bay. Nothing made him happier than seeing Buffy stand behind the railing, the wind blowing her blonde hair around her face. He had instructed that several pieces of blank drawing paper and a pencil be left inside a box for him. With it, Angel drew a picture of Buffy, capturing the essence of her joy on the paper. He handed it to her when they returned to the hotel room that night.

"Angel, this is beautiful. I didn't know you could draw," Buffy said.

"I used to do it a lot as a kid. Kept me busy."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Of course. Anything."

Buffy swallowed, trying to find the right words. "I don't want to seem ungrateful or rude, but how can you afford all this? Unless the Council pays you guys more than I thought they did."

"Money isn't an issue. It never will be. My grandparents died when I was two. They were large percentage shareholders in several big corporations, and when they died, it all went to my mother. And when she died, it was passed on to me. I officially inherited it all, all three hundred million of it, when I turned eighteen," he explained.

"So, you're rich. Very rich, actually. Cordy was right."

"How?"

"The necklace you gave me. She could tell it cost a fortune."

"I told you, money isn't an issue. My life isn't an extravagant one. And if I have it, I can't think of anyone I'd rather spend it on than the woman I love."

"That is me, right?"

He smiled. "Who else?"

They stayed up until one in the morning. Angel suggested they get some rest for tomorrow and they retired to their separate beds. Buffy lay there for half an hour listening to the sounds of his breathing. Hopping out of bed, she made her way over to Angel's.

The covers covered him only to his waist. Buffy lifted them before joining him. She covered herself, then planted kisses along his strong jawline. He stirred in his sleep, awakened by Buffy's kisses. Moaning from the disruption, he opened his eyes, staring right into Buffy's.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"I'm kissing you."

"Why?"

"Because I want to thank you for tonight." She brought her lips to his, fully awakening him. He rolled to the side, facing her.

Angel pulled her close to him, returning the kiss with a hunger and need all his own. He felt her hands stroke his back, up and down from his neck to the waist of his boxer shorts. His did the same to her, only when they reached the waistband of her pants, he lifted the shirt she wore with his hand. It slipped under the cotton material, making contact with the warm skin beneath.

He lightly touched her skin, moving his hands along her sides, molding to fit every last curve. Angel closed his eyes when his hands reached the curves of her breasts. His fingers took on a life of their own, wandering over the flesh to feel her, for more contact with her exquisite body.

Moving on from her lips, Angel trailed across her cheeks to her ears and then to her neck. He sucked and licked and bit softly at the tender skin, becoming more than aroused by the affect her body was having on him. He wanted to make love to her.

Buffy exhilarated in what he was doing to her until she realized what it was doing to him. She became aware of his arousal and got scared. "Angel?"

"Hmm?" he asked, his face at the column of her throat.

"I want to stop. Please," she begged.

"What's the matter?"

Tears rolled out of her eyes and onto his arm. "I'm scared."

He wiped the tears away with his thumb. "It's okay, you don't have to cry."

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to do that to you," she said through her tears. "You probably hate me for leading you on like that."

"No. You didn't lead me on."

"Angel, you're lying. I felt it, just like you felt it."

He brushed the stray hairs from her face. "Honestly, Buffy, I did feel it. I wanted to make love to you; I still do. But if it's too soon for you, I'll wait until you're ready."

"I don't know if I'll ever be ready." A fresh batch of tears fell.

"Today isn't the day. Maybe tomorrow isn't either. But when you are ready, Buffy, I will be here."

She found it unbelievable that he said that; that he'd still want to be with her after all she had just done. "You'd wait for me?"

"Forever, Buffy. I'll wait forever." He took her in his arms and let her cry until they both fell asleep.

Part Twenty-Eight

Angel didn't want to wake her up. She was sleeping so soundly, he couldn't bear to rouse her. His right arm still lay across her side, his palm flat on her stomach. He smiled, but it turned to a frown, recalling the events of last night. They'd been so close to gaining everything they wanted -- closeness with each other. The closeness they could only attain through true intimacy.

But watching Buffy sleep made Angel realize how close he felt to her right then. Maybe they weren't ready for that kind of intimacy yet, but that didn't mean they couldn't be close. He wanted closeness with Buffy, and he was willing to wait until she was ready.

She stirred, as if she knew what he was thinking. Her back pressed harder against his chest, her legs stretching out. She turned her head to the right, seeing Angel watching her. It reminded her of waking up next to him the morning after Prom. "Hi," she greeted with a tinge of nervousness.

"Good morning." Angel removed his hand. "How did you sleep?"

"Okay."

Buffy got up from the bed and brought her eyes up to look at him. When she saw his face, she couldn't help but remember the night before. How she'd felt him pressed against her leg, his hands under her shirt, his mouth all over her head and neck. Suddenly, she couldn't look at him, despite his soothing words. Casting her eyes to the ground, she moved toward the bathroom.

"I--I'm going to get dressed."

"Buffy? Are you okay?"

"Yeah, sure. Why do you ask?"

"Because you won't look at me. Is it because of last night? Buffy, I told you I'd wait. For however long it takes," Angel said.

"I'm fine."

Buffy walked into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. She glanced at her reflection in the mirror, seeing the girl with the puffy eyes and red cheeks. Trying to keep the tears out of her eyes, Buffy turned on the water, bringing a handful to her face. She felt so sick, like she might throw up.

What am I going to do? I can't even look in his eyes without remembering last night. How am I supposed to spend the next twenty-four hours with him after what we did? Or almost did?

Drying off her face, Buffy decided to act as though nothing had happened between them. She got dressed and went back into the room. Angel sat on the couch, watching her out of the corner of his eye.

"What's for breakfast?" she asked.

Angel was relieved. She was talking to him. "Whatever you like."

"I'm in the mood for a ham and cheese omelette."

He nodded. "Alright. I'll order room service. Are you sure you're okay?"

"Peachy. Just hungry."

"Do you want to talk about it? Last night?"

She shook her head. "There's nothing to talk about. We talked last night, remember?"

"No, Buffy. You need t understand that I didn't mean to scare you."

Her lower lip trembled. "I know. It was my fault. I knew I wasn't ready, but I came into your bed anyway and started something I knew I couldn't finish. I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize. I played a big role in this, too. I shouldn't have done what I did."

She closed her eyes, then opened them. "Where does that leave us? Back where we started? 'Cause I liked the slow thing, but not that slow. But last night was too fast."

"You're right. It was. We need to find some kind of middle ground," agreed Angel.

"'Kay. Nothing too stimulating."

"That works for me."

"We're in agreement. And, Angel?"

"Yes?"

She gave him a half-smile. "When I'm ready, you'll be the first to know."

*******

"What do you think they're doing?" Xander questioned. "Wonder if they're getting horizontal."

Cordelia slapped her boyfriend on the arm. "Xander! Is that all you think about?"

"Well, she's away with him, in a hotel room, mind you, and you think nothing's going to happen?"

"He booked a room with two beds," Willow informed him. "And if Buffy doesn't want anything to happen, nothing'll happen."

"What if he pressures her?"

Oz sighed and laughed. "Remember Kevin? He pressured her and look where is now."

"Buffy-less and miserable," Cordelia said with a chuckle. "How appropriate for him."

"Xander, don't worry so much about Buffy. She can take care of herself. And Angel's too honorable to try anything. He strikes me as the type to wait until it's right for both of them," Willow said, trying to comfort Xander.

He wasn't convinced. "He may be honorable, but Watcher Guy is still a guy. Which means he's still gonna want to...well, get it on."

Cordelia stood up. "Do you want to get horizontal? Get it on? Because if you keep this up, it won't be happening with me."

"Cordy!"

"Can't you let Buffy make her own decisions without making it your personal business?" she shot at him.

"It is my business."

She shook her head. "No it's not. It is Buffy's personal business if she sleeps with Angel. Not yours." Cordelia tried to imagine her friend in a passionate kiss with Angel. 'I get Xander, scrawny boy nightmares are made of. And Buffy gets Angel, the type of man girls have sexual fantasies about. How unfair is that?' She took off.

"I guess I should go apologize to Cordy for acting like a..."

"A guy?" Oz suggested.

"Yeah. Bye, guys." He went off in the same direction as Cordelia.

Oz glanced at his girlfriend. "Well, that was interesting."

"Oh yeah." She bit her lip. "Oz, do you think that they did?"

"Did?"

Willow laughed. "I shouldn't be thinking about this. She's my best friend, she'll tell me. But I wanna know now! Buffy said she might...you know...sleep with him if she felt ready. I'm dying to know."

"Will, don't you think that's exactly what Xander said?"

"No. Yes. Maybe. I can't wait until she gets back and I get to find out what happened."

********

"Are you dressed?" Angel asked from outside the bathroom, later that day.

He and Buffy had spent the day shopping. Although they felt comfortable with each other, Angel wanted to make it up to her, and he had arranged for the perfect evening.

The bathroom door opened, and Buffy walked out. During their shopping trip, Buffy saw a dress that she loved, and Angel bought it for her. She beamed with delight when he handed her the package. He'd never seen a more beautiful sight then when he saw Buffy leave the bathroom wearing the dress he bought for her.

She wore a strapless white dress, made of satin and lace, with a sweetheart neckline. It floated to the floor, where her feet were fitted into a pair of white sandals. Her hair cascaded past her shoulders, straight and glowing.

Angel's breath caught in his throat. "Buffy, you look...words can't describe how lovely you look. You take my breath away."

"I'll take that as a compliment. And you look very handsome."

He did. Angel wore a suit similar to the one he'd worn on their first date. Black trousers, white shirt, black suit coat and a navy blue silk tie. "Thank you. Ready to go?"

She nodded her head. "Yep. Where are you taking me, anyway?"

"You'll see."

Groaning, she gave Angel her hand. All he had told her was that he had something special planned. And as much as she hated surprises, she trusted Angel.

It took twenty minutes to get to the restaurant Angel made reservations at. Taking one look at it, Buffy knew it was an expensive restaurant, and that she was, indeed, in for a special night.

They approached the maitre 'd. "Reservations for Reilly," Angel told him.

"Yes. Table for two in our most romantic spot. Please follow me," he told the two, flashing them a genuine smile.

Buffy and Angel followed him, and upon reaching the table, Angel held out her chair for her. He took a seat and took the menus from the maitre 'd.

"May I bring you the wine list, sir?"

"No, thank you. We'll have two waters, please," Angel told him.

The maitre 'd nodded once and left them alone. "This place is beautiful," Buffy said.

A waiter came over and placed two long, white candles on the table, lighting them.

"What's this about?" she asked.

"The gentleman requested a candlelight dinner," the waiter answered.

Angel grinned. "I hope you like it. This is my way of apologizing for last night. You deserve a special night."

"Thank you, Angel."

"You don't have to thank me. Just forgive me."

She grabbed his hand, holding it in the middle of the table. "It's okay. You don't need my forgiveness. I love you, Angel. Don't worry about what you did, you didn't do anything that doesn't come naturally. I only want you to love me."

"I do."

Dinner was as romantic as Angel hoped it would be. He wanted to show Buffy how much she meant to him; that he didn't need to make love to her to show her how deep his love went. It was a perfect evening for both of them.

"Thank you again. Tonight was so special to me," Buffy said to him when they got back to the hotel.

"It was special to me, too." He lifted her chin and kissed her. The kiss held the promise of something more, but Angel held back the passion, not wanting to frighten her again. She put her arms around his neck, keeping him close to her.

Angel felt that it was going too far. "We should stop," he said.

"Why?"

"Because I don't want to repeat last night's mistake."

"We won't."

He disagreed. "Buffy, pretty soon things will get out of control like they did last night. And I'm going to unzip your dress and I will want more than you're ready to give. I won't be able to stop myself."

"I'll stop you."

"No. I'm not going to put you through that again."

Buffy relented, seeing that nothing she could say would change his mind. They got ready for bed on their last night in San Francisco. She asked him if she could sleep in his bed and Angel agreed. They just thrilled in falling asleep in the arms of the one they loved.