Choices

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Chapter Four

"Angel!" Buffy yelled as she burst through the door.

Angel came rushing in the kitchen to find Buffy breathing heavy and flushed with exen. Hn. He was washing his hands on a dishrag. "What is it? Are you okay?"

She furrowed her brow and pointed at him. "What are you doing?"

He suddenly turned sheepish. "I was cleaning up a little."

She smiled and then started her tirade. "Spike's a pain in the!" !"

Angel couldn't help but chuckle. "I've been saying that for over a century. What happened? Did you see him?"

"Yes, I saw him, the big bully!"

"Well, what did he do?"

"I was just dancing with Willow and some guy and he came over and got all fangy on him! He yelled at me in front of all these people and made a scene."

Angel cleared his throat. "What guy did you say?"

She shrugged. "Just some guy. He asked if he could dance with me. I said yes and then Spike freaked."

"You were dancing with some guy and you don't know his name?"

She looked at him as if he had three heads. "What is this--1882?"

Angel shifted his feet and looked down. "I realize that times have changed, but--"

"But nothing! It was an innocent dance and Spike turned into caveman right there in front of Willow!"

"Innocent dance, my ass!" Spike barked as he barged through the door. "His mitts all all over you!"

"They were not! We were dancing!"

Spike towered over her. "You call that dancing? That was dry humping to music."

"You're one to talk, getting yourself pawed by that Faith chick. Did I ruin your chance to get lucky? You didn't have to leave on my account, I'm sure you could have went back to having her hand in your lap at any minute."

"Her hand was not in my lap!"

"Whatever! It's all right for you to go out and have a good time, but it's not okay for me to?"

"You can have a good time, but you don't have to mate with the first boy you see!"Spike shouted at her.

Beyond pissed she hauled off and slapped him across the face and stomped off to her room, slag thg the door.

Spike was too stunned to move. He stood there, with his hand over his cheek, feeling the sting of her slap.

"I'll go calm her down," Angel said softly and went after her.

He knocked on the door. "Buffy, it's Angel. Can I come in?"

"Depends. Are you going to act like my father too?"

Angel winced. He supposed that was what it seemed like to her. "No."

"Is he with you?"

"No."

"Fine. Come in."

He found her laying on her bed or str stomach her head on a pillow, looking away from him. He sat down on the bed and looked at the back of her head. He fidgeted. "Look, I'm sorry if I acted like your father earlier--"

She bolted up and sat on her heels, facing him. "Angel, I don't understand what I've done that's so wrong today," she told him as tears leaked from her eyes.

It tore him up to see her crying. "Oh, baby, don't cry. You know I hate it when you cry." He told her gently.

She swiped a hand across her face, trying to wipe away her tears. "I went out today and I had a good time and you and Spike freak out on me and start acting like my keepers. I don't get it. I thought it was a good thing to go out. I thought it was a good thing to make friends--human friends--and have fun. Then you get mad at me because I don't want to patrol or train or whatever and then Spike freaks out on me because I was dancing with a guy. I don't get it."

Angel tried to pull her close, but she resisted. He dropped his hands and looked at them. "You didn't do anything wrong, princess. I think it was just a shock is all. I mean, we've all been in this kind of bubble for so long and then it was disrd."d."

"But I thought it was a good thing. It's better than being depressed all the time."

He looked at her sharply. "You can talk to me if you need me, you know that don't you?"

"I know that." She sighed then. "It's not that I don't need you and Spike, Angel. I do. You guys are all I have." She started to cry again. "But I'm tired of feeling so sad and helpless and I went out today with the hopes that I could find a hobby. You know, something to do to keep me busy during the day. Maybe even a job. And then I ran into Willow and we got to talking...it felt nice to forget about my mom and my night job. It felt nice to pretend I was normal for a while. Plus, it was kind of nice to hang out with a girl. I thought you would be happy for me. Then I come home and I get the third degree."

This time, Angel succeeded in bringing her close and he heer ier in his lap and stroked her hair. He softly kissed her forehead. "I didn't mean to get upset with you. You have to understand that because of your night job, it makes me worry. When you're gone well past sundown, it's disconcerting. I wonder if some vampire or demon is out there and you're all alone."

"I've taken vampires by myself, Angel."

"I know, but Buffy...look at me."

She looked up at him; unshed tears in her eyes.

He brushed some hair away from her face tenderly. "Just like we're all you've got, you're all we've got too. You mean so much to us--to me, Buffy. I couldn't bear to lose you. So, when I get overprotective, it's because I want to keep you safe. And it's not because of Whistler and what I promised him in regards to your safety. It's because you--you're--"
'You can't say it, Angel. Can't tell her how you're in love with her. If you do, you'll freak her out and she'll never trust.'
.'
"--My family."

She nodded and the tears from her eyes finally fell. She wiped themy any and rested her head against Angel's chest. "So does that mean when I go out with Willow you won't freak anymore?"

Angel chuckled under her. "Yes. However, I think it'd be best if we all got cell phones. I still want you to check in every once in a while you're out. Is that okay with you?"

She nodded. "Sorry I was snippy with you earlier."

"Sorry I sounded like a dad instead of your best friend."

She smiled up at him. He smiled back and felt himself getting swept away by her. He wanted so desperately to kiss her, but knew that would be a colossal mistake. "You should get some rest. You've had a busy day."

She nodded and scooted off his lap. "I'm still angry with Spike by the way. I don't plan on speaking to him until I no longer have the urge to rip his head off and shove it up his ass."

Angel let out a loud belly laugh. Buffy looked at him surprised. It wasn't often that Angel laughed like that. "You don't know how many times I've had the same exact urge."

Buffy started to giggle then. The knock on the door stopped their merriment. Angel cleared his throat.

"Is this a private party or can anyone join?" Spike asked through the door.

Buffy looked at Angel and he nodded. "I'll take care of it, princess. Get some rest okay?"

She leaned up and gave him a kiss he che cheek. "Thanks Angel."

He felt like the poof Spike was always accusing him of being. He felt his insides turn to mush by just that simple act. He nodded and opened the door to find a concerned and hopeful Spike. He shut the door behind him.

"I'm not invited then?" Spike asked dryly.

Angel gestured for him to follow him and Spike did. Angel turned to him. ?Look, you need to just give her a break.?

Spike's eyes widened. "Me? I need to give her a break? You're the one that flew off the handle this evening. I tear some ponce off her, who was rather frisky with the girl, and suddenly I'm the one that needs to lay off?"

Angel sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "It's not just you. It's both of us. We both flew off the handle today. I explained to her where we--I--was coming from and she understands. It's good that she has a human friend, that she's getting out of the house. Our own insecurities can't prevent her from doing that. We've said since her mom passed that she hasn't been the same. Well, she knows it and she's taking steps to make herself feel better."

"I'm all on board for her making new friends, Angelus. I'm not on board for strange men to be groping her in a seedy club!" Spike shouted. "No bloody git is touching her that way!"

"What about Faith and the way she was coming on to you!" Buffy shouted as she came barreling out of her room.

"Faith was just talking to me!"

"She was touctouchy feely with you, don't lie to me, William! I saw the whole damn thing!"

Angel shook his head. He knew he'd been in hot water when she'd called him Angelus earlier, now she was calling Spike, William. Yeah, he was in trouble now.

"You saw her touching me and me giving her the brush off then!"

"Save your knight in shining armor routine, William. I don't need it." She spat.

'Not gonna let you act like a common whore, Buffy!"

"You're an asshole!" She screamed at him and stomped back to her room, slamming the door.

"You're a bitch!" Spike shouted back and stomped off to his own room, slamming the door.

Angel sighed wearily. "Think I'll have that drink now."

TBC.....