Prologue:

Buffy and Angel lay in each others arms, talking quietly so as not to disturb Davy who was sleeping in his cot nearby.

"I like your hands" remarked Buffy.

"You do?" asked Angel as he kissed her forehead.   

"Yeah" murmured Buffy as she took one of them in hers.

"They're big and strong" she said "They make me feel safe"

"Is that all?" frowned Angel "I must have lost my touch".

"They make me feel other things as well" whispered Buffy giving him a seductive smile.

"Do they now?" he replied, pulling her closer to him.

He brushed a lock of hair from her face, and traced the lines of her features, her neck, her shoulders.

Buffy thought how gentle he was with her, how careful, how so unlike Angelus. With Angel it was all pleasure and no pain.

Buffy lay back and sighed deeply. This is where she wanted to be, where she belonged.

In safe hands......

Buffy Summers had spent more than her fair share of time in cemeteries, but unlike most people they held no fear for her.

Quite the opposite really, they allowed her the opportunity to do what she did best.... Slay.

Buffy was feeling good, she had just staked her fourth vampire that night and was hungry for more.

Angel was over to the left of her, checking out any new graves for signs of activity.

"Hello Buffy"

The Slayer spun round and came face to face with a blonde haired vampire.

"Spike? What are you doing here?" she asked.

"Now is that any way to greet an old friend?" he smiled "Especially one who, if I remember rightly, did you a big favour not so long ago".

"I'm sorry" smirked Buffy "We wanted to thank you, but you disappeared along with your homicidal maniac of a girlfriend"

"So give us a hug then" said Spike "And we'll call it quits".

Before she knew it he had pulled her into his arms.

"Let go of me Spike" she cried "Angel's around and if he sees us he'll kill you"

"You smell different" observed Spike letting go and staring at her.

"Different to what?" she glared.

He sniffed Buffy's hair, and leant in towards her neck.

She swiftly pulled out a stake and held it aloft.

"Favour or not" Buffy snarled "I'll stake you if you don't back off.

"Has anyone touched you lately?" he asked.

"Touched me?" she echoed  "What the hell do you mean by that?"

Spike looked around but Angel was out of sight.

"I'm not talking about a fumble in the dark with Soul Boy" he sneered  "I mean someone or something supernatural"

"Like say...A vampire?" accused Buffy, raising her eyebrows at him.

"No, not me..A witch or a warlock or...Hell Buffy I don't know" cried Spike "Think, it's important".

"Why?" she asked suspiciously "What's wrong?"

"Because you reek of magic Buffy, it's all around you. Something's put the mojo on you and I can still smell the residue" he remarked.

"Mojo?" frowned Buffy.

"A spell then, call it what you like" he replied and began sniffing her again.

"Is this a trick Spike, something you made up so you can have a quick feel?" she snarled.

"Oh please" said Spike sarcastically "I'm not that desperate"

"If I'm under a spell, how come I don't feel any different?" she queried.

"It's still fresh" he remarked  "Maybe the effects haven't come into force yet?"

"Do I look any different?" asked Buffy as she slowly turned around.

"No" grinned Spike "Just as cute as ever!"

Angel appeared and looked at then standing together. He walked over to Buffy and took her arm in his.

For a moment he did not move. Here we go thought Buffy......

"Spike!" bellowed Angel "Good to see you, why don't you come back and have a drink, we can talk about old times?"

"We can?" asked a confused Spike as Angel slapped him on the back.

"Angel?" said Buffy "Are you ok?"

"What's it to you?" he snapped angrily.

Spike looked from one to the other "Yeah...Right, a drink" he said "Never one to miss a free piss up"

Angel put his arm round Spike's shoulder and began to walk towards the car. "Hey Slayer!" he yelled turning to look back at Buffy "Are you just gonna stand there all night or what?"

Buffy was rooted to the spot. What was wrong with Angel? she thought. Why was he talking like that?

"I'll get her" said Spike "You go start the car up mate"

He went back to Buffy who was staring at the man she loved with a total look of disbelief on her face.

"Well unless your old man is really peed off about something, I think we may be seeing the effects of a transferance spell" whispered Spike.

"What do you mean?" she murmured still unable to take her eyes off Angel.

"It wasn't meant to change you Buffy, just the people you come into contact with" he answered "It's passed on by touch, bit like a game of tag really. I've seen the effects of one once before, it can get pretty messy"

"But you're not affected by it?" she asked.

"Well it appears not, but then I'm a vampire so maybe it won't work on me" he observed.

Buffy shook her head "I don't understand any of this" .

"Come on, let's just go with him, play it by ear for now" replied Spike "Maybe we can think of a way to fix things"

"I hope so, before anybody else joins in the game" she said nervously as reluctantly she followed him to the car.

When they arrived at the hotel, Spike was knocked back by the warding spell put into place to prevent Darla re-entering.

Angel roared with laughter "Spike my boy, I invite you into my humble abode" he said.

"Cheers" replied Spike "Now wheres the booze?"

Buffy hesitantly followed them in,  wondering if the spell would affect anyone else around.

Cordelia was in the kitchen making some hot chocolate.

"Hi guys" she said "It's ok, I can hear Davy if he wakes up, I put the baby alarm on"

"Thanks Cordelia" said Buffy "Maybe I'll go check on him in a minute anyway"

"Spike?" said Cordelia "What are you doing here?"

"Nice to see you too luv" replied the vampire as his eyes swept over her body.

"Cordelia" leered Angel "You are looking particularly ravishing tonight"

"What?" she laughed "Have you guys been drinking?"

Angel went up behind her and put his arms around her waist.

Cordelia seemed to freeze for a moment, then she turned in Angel's arms and gazed into his lust filled eyes.

"Want some?" murmured Cordelia "While it's still hot?"

For one awful moment Buffy thought they were going to kiss each other, it was obvious she was offering him more than hot chocolate.

Oh God thought Buffy, he must have passed the spell onto her.

"Maybe later" whispered Angel into Cordelia's ear.

Buffy felt a wave of nausea wash over her, and she turned to leave the room.

"Where are you going Slayer?" enquired Angel in a threatening tone.

"To check on our son" she replied nervously.

"Still trying to pass him off as mine" he sneered "You never give up do you?"

Buffy fled the kitchen before her sobs could be heard, and not waiting for the lift she quickly ran up the stairs towards their bedroom.

Once inside, she stood next to the cot, staring down at her son and trying not to cry.

Davy was sleeping fitfully as if he knew something was not right. He opened his brown eyes for a moment and looked at her, then slowly he closed them and went back to sleep.

Buffy sat down on the bed and frantically tried to think.

Somehow, she had to get help. She had no idea if Spike had come up with a plan, and could not wait to find out. Something had to do be done now. The one person she could always depend on to help out in times of crisis suddenly sprang to mind.   

Buffy picked up the telephone and began dialling her Watcher's number.

Before she had chance to connect, Angel stumbled into the room, clearly drunk.

"Who are you calling?" he slurred as he lolled against the door frame.

"Nobody" said Buffy and quickly put the receiver down.

"Theres no booze left" snapped Angel "What have you done with it all?"

"Nobody really drinks it" she replied "We very rarely have any in"

"You drank it yourself you lying bitch" he yelled.

"Angel please, you'll wake Davy" she pleaded as fresh tears rushed to her eyes.

"Why do we have to have him in here with us anyway?" said Angel "In fact, why don't you just take your son and move into another room where I don't have to look at him every night and be reminded of that bloody soldier boy?"

"What?" she cried "You think he's Riley's son?.. He's yours Angel...He even looks like you"

"Get real Buff, he looks nothing like me" snarled Angel "He has blue eyes and blonde hair"

Buffy could hardly believe her ears. What the hell was making him think this way?

"Now come here" he ordered throwing an empty brandy bottle to one side.

She moved tentatively towards him, her heart pounding in her chest.

Angel grabbed her by the shoulders and kissed her, and she responded to him more out of fear than habit.

He was holding her so tight and kissing her so hard she could barely breathe.

Buffy's mind was racing... Where was this leading? She should fight back, she was after all the Slayer, defending herself had never been a problem before.

But if it all went wrong, if she only succeeded in angering him further what then? She thought about Davy and her fear grew.

How many women were put in this position every day of their lives thought Buffy and they don't have my strength.

Angel may only be under a spell, but it didn't make the situation any less real.

He hated her...Hated their son. But still she loved him.

His hands were all over her. Kneading, probing, violating.

Unlike Angel's gentle caresses these hands only knew how to be cold and cruel.

These were not safe hands to be in.

"Angel please..Don't" she wept against his mouth "Not like this"

He looked into her eyes and all she saw there was hatred.

"Just reminding myself why I let you stay here" he snarled "Why I didn't throw you out before. You're good for one thing Slayer and that's..." 

He didn't get the chance to finish.

She threw one of her best lefts and brought her knee up hard.

Both missiles hit the target and Angel slid down, groaning in pain before passing out on the floor.

Buffy looked down at him wondering if she had hit him too hard.

Spike appeared in the doorway "Never could hold his drink" he remarked.

Tearfully she sank down onto the bed in shock and Spike went to sit beside her.

"Are you ok pet?" he asked, his voice full of concern "He didn't hurt you did he?"

Buffy felt as if her heart was breaking as she turned to him and wept on his shoulder.

Spike gently put his arms around her and held her as she shook.

"C'mon love, its ok, we'll figure a way out of this" he said soothingly "But I think it might be best if we all got out of here before he comes round"

Davy started whimpering in his cot and Buffy slowly went over to pick him up.

"We can't just leave" she said, averting her eyes from Angel's motionless body "Where would we go?"

"Well..I once knew this little place called Sunnydale" suggested Spike.

Without hesitation, Buffy looked at him and nodded in agreement.

GILE'S APARTMENT.   

"This is very serious Buffy" said Giles as he poured boiling water into the teapot.

"Tell me about it" sighed Buffy.

"He's not reverted to Angelus has he?" asked Giles "Because that would be even..."

"Serious..er?" remarked Spike.

"No he's still human" said Buffy "He's still Angel but....."

"He's lost the plot" added Spike "And written a completely new one"

Willow was sat holding Davy on her knee "Why would anyone want to do this?" she asked "Unless it's some kind of demon getting its revenge for you kicking its ass?"

"We should t t talk to Anya" stammered Tara "She used to be a vengeance demon didn't she?"

"Oh God" groaned Buffy "We have made so many enemies in the past, how will we ever narrow it down?"

"Perhaps it's not as difficult as you think Buffy" said Giles "This is a certain type of revenge aimed at keeping you and Angel apart"

"Someone's jealous of us?" asked Buffy "If this is the whole Darla thing again ...."

"Why didn't they just make them hate each other then?" asked Spike 

"That would have been even better". Everyone glared at him.

"Better for who Spike?" snapped Buffy.

"Bloody hell" replied the vampire "I was just making an observation.

"Actually I think I will talk to Anya" said Giles "See if she can shed some light on the subject"

Tara looked at Willow and blushed slightly as she gave her a little self satisfied smile.

HYPERION HOTEL LA

Wesley came down to breakfast to find Cordelia and Angel in the kitchen arguing.

"So what if she has gone?" yelled Cordelia "I thought that's what you wanted?"

"That's not the point Cordelia" snapped Angel "Nobody walks out on me"

"Err....Morning" said Wesley.

"Whatever!" yelled Angel and Cordelia together.

"Where's Buffy this morning?" asked Wesley nervously.

"Gone" said Cordelia "And taken her brat with her"

The room fell silent.

"Oh I see" laughed Wesley "You must have been offered a part in a play, and Angel is helping you to run through your lines. Do you know, for one awful minute there I thought you were telling the truth"

"I am" declared Cordelia as she poured herself some coffee.

"I don't understand?" replied Wesley "What happened?".

"We had a slight misunderstanding Wes, that's all" drawled Angel "The Slayer bailed and took Finns kid with her. Its no biggie, we'll survive"

"W what did you say?" stammered Wesley "Finn's kid? Who's he?"

"Wesley what is wrong with you?" snapped Cordelia "Buffy's gone and taken Davy with her"

"And...You're not upset?" mumbled the ex Watcher.

Cordelia went over to Angel and put her arms around him.

"He'll get over it won't you Angel?" she murmured pressing her body against his.

"Cordelia what are you doing?" cried Wesley "Let go of him at once!"

"Calm down Wes" said Cordelia putting her hand on his shoulder.

"Calm down, but I ....." Wesley froze for a moment.

"Well thank God for that" he continued "I never understood why you and Buffy stayed together in the first place"

"I had my reasons" smiled Angel.

"Yeah, and we all know what they were" said Cordelia jealously.

"What can I tell you?" grinned Angel "She loved me, she'd do anything for me. She'd slay and I'd play. Kinda like having a devoted little puppy running around after you day and night. And as the old saying goes, why have a dog and bark yourself!"   

"And no poop scoop required" laughed Wesley "So added bonus there!"

"So where's your devoted little puppy got to then Wes?" asked Cordelia.

"Sarah?" asked Wesley "She's visiting her parents, won't be back for a couple of days yet"

"I say we party!" cried Cordelia "No kids around to spoil the ambience, no Slayer to spoil the fun...It'll be great!"

"I've got a better idea" offered Angel "Let's go to Caritas"

"Oh yes we can boogie on down!" grinned Wesley as he danced round the room.

"You will sing won't you Angel?" whined Cordelia "Please?...Please?"

"If you're a good girl" he replied winking at her.

"Oooh I can't wait!" she said excitedly.

"Neither can I" he murmured looking at her with a gleam in his eye.

XANDER'S APARTMENT.

"Hmm" said Anya "That's a good one, how come I never thought of that?"

"Anya" said Xander "Wer'e supposed to be helping here..Remember?"

"Yes..Sorry" Anya replied "Why does your little boy do that?" she asked pointing at Davy.

"Do what?" questioned Buffy.

"Dribble" said Anya "Its most disgusting to watch"

"He's teething" remarked Buffy "All babies do it"

"Mine won't" said Anya "My babies will be dribble free" she smiled at Xander.

"Good for you" glared Buffy "Maybe they won't need diapers either"

"Ladies please, can we get back to the point?" said Giles. "This spell, it hasn't only made Angel hate you, it seems to have given him new memories of the two of you together, false memories that have fuelled his hatred. Is that right?"

"Yes" said Buffy "He even thinks that Davy is Riley's son"

Xander took Davy from Buffy, and grinned at him. "Well you only have to look at him to see that is soooo not true" laughed Xander "He's definitely a chip off the old blockhead"

"Block Xander" said Giles "Just.. Block"

"What?" asked Xander giving him a confused look.

"Oh never mind" said Giles shaking his head in exasperation.

"Giles if we can't somehow erase these memories I can never go back" said Buffy.

"But what about the others...Wesley..Cordelia?" questioned Xander.

"We figured out that the spell can be passed on by touching, or playing tag as Spike so aptly put it" said Buffy "Angel has already passed it on to Cordelia , God knows who he'll pass it on to next"

"Angel touched Cordelia?" cried Xander "What like in a handshake or something? Ok, if it was under the something category I don't want to know. And anyway in a game of tag, the person you touch is 'it' so wouldn't that mean the ball is in Cordys court now?"

"Excuse me" said Anya raising her hand "Not a vengeance demon, we would not use such long winded methods. We just go in, get the job done and out again. Short sharp and to the point" she grinned.

"Yes...Quite " said Giles "You have to think harder Buffy, try to remember anything that you had contact with that night"   

"I've been over and over it" replied Buffy "None of the vampires I killed that night actually managed to touch me. The only other contact I had before Spike came along was with Angel"

"And he was still acting normal then" observed Giles "So the only person who could have passed it to you was....?"

"Spike!" cried Buffy "Giles it had to be him...Just wait till he gets back I am gonna stake him good"

"But I don't understand it" said Giles "Why would he want to do that?"

"He's warped" said Xander shaking his head in disgust.

"Well maybe I'll give him a twisted body to match his twisted mind before I finish him off" snarled Buffy.

Spike had nipped out for a bit of O Positive and was standing in an alley warming the bag in his hands.

"Hello William" murmured Dru.

Spike whirled round "Bloody hell Dru!" he cried "Don't do that, nearly gave me a flippin heart attack. What are you doing here anyway? I thought you decided to stay in France?"

"Too much garlic" she moaned "Gets into the blood...Upsets my digestion"

"What do you want Dru, I thought we said our goodbyes...Again" said Spike.

"Have you seen her?" asked Dru circling slowly round him.

"Who?..Seen who?" questioned Spike as he ripped open the bag and gulped the contents down.

"The Slayer" replied Dru clapping her hands and grinning.

"Well yeah, I might have seen her around" he answered "What of it?"

She wound her arms around Spike's neck and licked it.

"I want to know all about it" she whispered "Everything you did"

Spike pulled her arms away and glared at her.

"Dru... I know that after all this time I should have somehow fathomed out a way to decipher all your gibberish pet, but indulge me for once" said Spike. "Now what the sodding hell are you rambling on about?!" he shouted.

"I made her yours Spike...All yours. I put the spell into you and all you had to do was touch her" said Dru "And I knew you would touch her...You can't resist her can you?"

"Oh God" he groaned "What have you done?".

"We can't run together, you and I Spike. That thing in your head..Its turned you soft" said Dru "I want to hunt..To kill and feed like we used to, smell the fear, feel the pain. You just can't satify my appetite anymore ....But maybe you could satisfy the Slayer" she smiled.

"So you thought you'd try your hand at a bit of hocus pocus eh?" said Spike.

"I felt sorry for you" she whined "I wanted my Spike to be happy, like we once were".

"Well I've got news for you Dru, your little spell well and truly backfired" Spike informed her "In this weeks thrilling episode of Passions, Angel has decided that the brat isn't his and hates Buffy for it, Cordelia fancies Angel and the feelings mutual, Buffy still desperately loves Angel and will do anything to get him back, and Spike? Well lets just say I don't think he'll be appearing in any more episodes due to the fact that he's been STAKED you stupid bitch! " he yelled.   

Dru pulled a piece of parchment from her pocket and tried to read it under a streetlight.

Spike snatched it from her hand "Is this it?" he yelled "Is this the spell?"

"Give it back Spike" she cried making a grab for it "I need it to try again"

"Not flaming likely" retorted Spike pushing her away "I might end up in love with Angel next time " he shuddered "I'm keeping this...Red might be able to use it to perform a reversal".

"Then the Slayer will never be yours" hissed Dru.

Spike shrugged his shoulders. "You win some you lose some" he said."But Spike..You didn't win anyone" she taunted.

"Forget it" said Spike and walked off.

CARITAS BAR LA.

Angel Cordelia and Wesley hit Caritas determined to have a night to remember.

"I want to try every cocktail on the list" grinned Cordelia.

"Lets see" said Wesley as he read it "There are twenty two of them"

"Piece of cake" she laughed.

"Come on , I wanna dance" said Angel grabbing Cordelia's hand. "Wes, get the drinks in" he added.

"No problem" replied Wesley fumbling for his wallet.

Angel and Cordelia were dancing so close together they were practically breaking the law.

"So...Now she's gone does that mean we can finally..?" murmured Cordelia wrapping her arms around his neck and planting a kiss on his cheek.

"Tonight's your lucky night" grinned Angel as his hands roamed southwards.

Back at the table, Wesley had just got a round in when Gunn approached him.

"Hey Wes" said Gunn "Do I appear drunk to you?"

"Sober as a judge" Wesley replied as he placed the drinks on the table, all the time jigging to the music.

"Then how come I'm seeing Angel and Cordelia dancing like...That?" he asked pointing towards them.

"Well, because they are" grinned Wesley shrugging his shoulders.

"Does Buffy know about this?" Gunn asked still staring at the dance floor.

"Probably not" said Wesley as he took a sip of beer "But she's left, so it doesn't matter anyway"

"Left as in gone home you mean?" asked Gunn.

"No" said Wesley "Left as in gone..Scarpered..Skeddadled"

"I need a drink" said Gunn shaking his head as he went to the bar.

GILE'S APARTMENT.

"Look I am telling you for the last time" gasped Spike "I had no idea what Dru was up to"

Buffy had Spike by the throat, stake ready to hit home.

"You can't stake me..I've got the original spell. I'll give it to you if you put me down" gagged Spike.

Willow went over to him "Give it to me, maybe we can perform some sort of reversal" she said.   

Buffy dropped him and Spike scrambled to his feet.

"My thoughts exactly Red" said Spike "Plus you'll need the original vessel to do it, and thats me" he added "So stakings off the menu".

"You'll keep" snarled Buffy.

Willow and Tara took the parchment from Spike and read it.

"Hmmm" said Willow "Nasty..If this got into the wrong hands..."

"They g g got the hemlock and the fleabane the wrong way round" muttered Tara looking over her shoulder.

"Not to mention the incantation" said Willow "A perfect recipe for total chaos".

"Can you reverse it?" asked Buffy hopefully.

"Not a problem" replied Willow "Giles can you take us to the magic shop, we need some supplies"

"Yes of course" replied Giles as he picked up his keys.

Willow, Tara and Giles departed, leaving Buffy and Spike alone with one another whilst Davy slept on the sofa nearby.

"Don't look at me Spike" said Buffy as she turned to face away from him.

"I'm really so.." He didn't get chance to finish.

"And don't speak cos I'm not listening" hissed Buffy.

And they sat in silence waiting for the others to return.

Gunn returned from the bar and took a seat next to Wesley, watching his two colleagues getting up close and personal to a rhythmic beat. Before long he began to get very agitated.

"That's it" blazed Gunn "I can't take no more of this. I'm gonna go over there and punch his lights out"

Wesley slapped Gunn on the back "You're jealous aren't you?" he laughed.   

Gunn froze for a moment."Me jealous?" he retorted "Hell yeah, who wouldn't be"

"You could always cut in" suggested Wesley.

"Maybe I will" replied Gunn as he got up from the table. He didn't get any further.

For a split second only, time stood still as a faint green mist rose from him.

It travelled through to Wesley and made its way to Cordelia before finally passing through Angel and off into the aether.

"Angel" whispered Cordelia.

"Hmmmm?" murmured Angel.

"Get your hands off my butt!" she yelled.

Angel let go of her as if she were red hot "Cordelia what the hell are you doing!? he cried.   

"What am I doing?" shouted Cordelia "You were the one who was.....Is that my lipstick on your cheek ?" she mumbled peering at him.   

"Where?" cried Angel frantically rubbing his face.

"This has to be a nightmare" said Cordelia pinching herself.

They looked across at Wesley and Gunn, who were talking to The Host.

Wesley gestured  frantically at them to come over.

"What's going on?" asked Angel.

"Well, from what I can smell someone's been cleaning up a huge pile of mess" remarked Lorne.

"What?" they all said together.

"Reversal spell" he added "Gives off a certain unpleasant odour?

"I'd reccomend a hot bath, or in some cases a cold shower?" he grinned.

"A reversal spell for what?" asked Wesley.

"I can't remember anything since being in the graveyard with Buffy" said Angel.

"Except for the last few minutes which I am seriously trying to block out of my mind" remarked Cordelia glaring at Angel "I can't remember anything since you turned up at the hotel with Spike".

"My last memory is of you and Cordelia arguing and telling me that Davy is Riley's son" recalled Wesley.

"And I was just about to punch you for letting Buffy leave and taking up with Cordelia" said Gunn.

"Buffy"  cried Angel "Wheres Buffy?"

"And Spike" said Cordelia "Where does he fit into all of this?".

"I don't know" replied Angel "But I'm sure as hell gonna find out".

Back at the hotel, Angel was frantically running round the rooms calling out Buffy's name.

When he reached their room there was still no sign of her.The wardrobe door was open, drawers had been pulled out and left hanging. She had left in a hurry..But why? he thought.

The worst thing though was the sight of the empty cot, Angel went over to it and reached for Davy's pillow.

It still held the traces of his baby smell, and he breathed it in.

Cordelia appeared in the doorway "Angel?...Are you ok?" she asked.

"They've gone Cordelia" he murmured "Whatever that spell was it made me do something to make her leave".

"Well maybe if she was under it too she'll have regained her senses and she'll come back" suggested Cordelia.

"And what will her last memory be?" said Angel.

"Lets hope it's something she can forgive" Cordelia mumbled.

The phone rang and Angel grabbed it "Buffy?" he cried.

"No actually..It's Giles..I'm just calling to see if you are....."

"Giles have you seen Buffy?" he rambled "Somebody did a spell and we were all...and she's gone and I need to find her and...Giles?"

The phone went silent at the other end, until....

"Angel?" a familiar voice said.

"Buffy" murmured Angel "Oh God I was so worried about you. Someone did a spell and.."

"I know" she cut in "But I think its all right now"

"Are you ok?" asked Angel "How's Davy?"

"He's fine, he misses his daddy" said Buffy "We both do,we just want to come home"

"I'm on my way" said Angel.

GILES APARTMENT

Buffy had thought long and hard about what had happened while Angel had been under Dru's spell. There was no point denying that it had not affected her, because it had.

She had no idea what had been happening in LA whilst she had been in Sunnydale and she did not particularly want to find out.

Spike had tried to get back in her good books by offering to take care of her if things went pear shaped.

Poor Spike she thought He meant well, but the only person she ever wanted to be with was Angel.

He had once had to keep the memories of their forgotten day to himself in order to protect her.

She could do the same for him, but it wasn't going to be easy.

"Hello Angel" said Giles as he answered the door "You'd better come in"

Buffy stood on the far side of the room, not moving just looking at his face, searching for signs that he was truly himself again.

"Buffy?" said Angel in a voice full of concern.

Then he held out his arms for her, and she was running to him, and he was holding her.

Instantly she knew that everything was all right....She was back.

Back in safe hands.

On the journey home, Angel kept quizzing Buffy, wanting to know every detail of what had happened while the spell had been in place.

She told him the facts, but the details she kept to herself. For one thing, she could only tell him her side of the story anyway.

Why put him through another guilt trip for something he had no control over?

By the time they arrived home it was already dawn. Buffy and Angel finally climbed into bed after settling Davy to sleep in his cot.

"You're never gonna tell me what really happened are you?" whispered Angel.

"Its best forgotten" murmured Buffy and they fell silent for a moment.

"Did you and Cordelia...?" asked Buffy.

"No" said Angel "And I thought you wanted to forget this?"

"Ah, but you don't know for sure do you Angel?" said Buffy "Because you can't remember.....Remember?"

"Oh God" moaned Angel "Am I ever gonna live this down? It was the spell. Me and Cordelia would never, you know. Not in our right minds anyway."

"I know" she grinned "I was just teasing you"

"The only woman I ever want to be with is you" he declared reaching out to stroke her arm "So we're good here?" he asked a little nervously.

"We're good" replied Buffy "But we could be even better?"

He pulled her close and their lips met.

"Just promise me one thing" she murmured against his mouth "When you're making love to me..."

"Hhmm" mumbled Angel.

"Don't call me Cordelia"

Angel broke the kiss and released her "Very funny" he glared.

"I thought it was" giggled Buffy.

"Goodnight" he snapped as he turned over and pretended to snore.

"Angel" whispered Buffy "I know you're not asleep"

"Mmm Cordelia" he murmured.

"Not funny " she cried smacking him on the back.

"I thought it was" grinned Angel as he turned to face her.

"Ok, truce" said Buffy and held out her hand.

Angel took it in his own and kissed it "If I did anything else, anything at all that caused you pain, I'm really sorry" he said.

Buffy pushed him onto his back and smiled at him.

"Shut up and kiss me Soul Boy........"

On to A Matter of Time