Summary: As before

Xander opened the door and was shocked to say the least.

“I need your help.” Angel said simply.

“Are you evil?”

“No.”

Xander looked him up and down. “OK, come in.”

Angel didn’t tell him about Buffy, just that he needed Xander to spent the night and day at Buffy’s dorm room because he suspected someone was breaking in.

“OK, sounds easy enough. Except for when the really big man breaks in and doesn’t like me there.”

“Don’t worry, it cant be a vampire, they’d have to be invited. Just hide from anyone else. And if you can, follow them when they leave.”

“OK, hiding I can handle.” Xander’s expression then changed to grave. “She’s in trouble isn’t she?”

Angel nodded.

“OK, what ever she needs, let’s get this show on the road.” Xander quickly got dressed and they left the basement together.


Willow saw Angel at the end of the isle she was in. she hurried up the rest of her shopping now she knew he was there watching.

Angel watched Willow as she picked the milk off the shelf. No one looked at her or noticed her.

He watched as she cleared the checkout. Nothing unusual. He met up with her briefly outside and told her to return to the dorm as usual, he wanted to watch those she had had contact with in the store.

Willow was a little scared but she knew she wasn’t the target here. And Xander would be waiting at the dorm. She agreed and Angel went back inside.

About half an hour before dawn he left. He had what he needed. The checkout woman had placed an odd call as she finished her shift. She opened a cell phone, dialled and simply said. “Got another one.” Before hanging up.

Angel assumed this was how they knew when to tamper with the drink.

He returned to Buffy. Willow said she was going back there but he wanted to be there for her too.

Willow was also asleep when he returned, she was curled up on Buffy’s floor. Angel smiled at how peaceful they looked. It reminded him of a sleepover modern children have. Then the reality hit him again. His smile faltered.

Turning he went downstairs to the couch, his turn to sleep.


Buffy woke up with a start, a sheen of perspiration covering her forehead. She breathed deeply telling herself it was just a dream.

Calmer, she looked over to where Angel should be sleeping but found Willow instead. Fear pricked at Buffy’s heart and she went to look for him.

She found him on the sofa, asleep. She smiled when she saw him. He hadn’t left her. He had been true to his word.

Buffy went closer and watched him sleep for a while. How she had loved that face. Every inch of it was memorised.

But that was the past. Riley was the present.

She wondered if this would have happened if Angel had stayed with her. Would he have been patrolling with her that night?

It was a nice dream to think of how things might have been but that wasn’t reality. Reality… Well she didn’t know what reality was at the moment, other than cold and brutal.

With a sigh Buffy left her day dreams behind and went to get breakfast. Willow joined her a few minutes later.

Buffy signalled her with a finger over her lips to be quiet and pointed to the living room. Willow took a look and nodded her understanding.

“I don’t want to wake him.” Said Buffy quietly.

Willow smiled. “It’s OK. I would like to know what he found out though.”

“Found out?”

“We did some investigating after you fell asleep. I didn’t hear him come back.”

Buffy wasn’t sure if she wanted to know or not. On the one hand she had to know who was doing this to stop them. On the other hand she would then have to confront them.

Willow saw Buffy’s worried expression and gently touched her arm. “hey, it’s going to be OK. We will get the bad guys.”

Buffy nodded half heartily.

Willow checked her watch.

“We should be leaving for class soon.”

“What?”

“If we were at the dorm’s we should be leaving soon.” Off Buffy’s puzzled expression she explained Xander was waiting there for anyone who came in.

“So we follow him to who ever he meets and follow them and hopefully, eventually we’ll find out where Leonard or whoever is.” Said Buffy.

“Hopefully.”

“OK, I can handle that.” Buffy tried to reassure herself.