When It Started

Author: PaulenaK

Email: toukalah@hotmail.com

Rating: PG

Pairing: Willow/Edge, Dawn/Jeff Hardy, Anya/Christian

Disclaimer: Everything WWE belongs to Vince McMahon. Everything BTVS and ATS belongs to Joss Whedon.

Feedback: Is much appreciated.

Summary: Good things come from attending a WWE PPV.

‘Denotes thoughts or emphasis’

**

Part 1

**

"Please Will's... you’re the only one I can ask. Buffy has agreed that if I get too adults to accompany me I can go."

Willow watched as the young girl paced the floor space in front of her.

"Well I don’t know... I've seen some of those wrestling matches... they can get pretty full on. Why can’t you ask Xander?"

"Ah... well, you see..." Dawn managed to look sheepishly towards Anya motioning with her eyes for the other girl to help her out.

"We already asked him.” Anya added helpfully. “He said no."

"Anya!"

"Well okay so his exact words were 'I'd rather watch Passions with

Spike' but that generally sounded like a no to me."

Willow laughed at Anya's ever present deadpan expression before turning to face Dawn's puppy dog eyes.

"Did you mention that girls wrestle at these events too?"

"So yes!" Dawn exclaimed coming to sit beside Willow on the couch.

"But I think he's still a little apprehensive about the eye patch and all."

Willow frowned. Ever since Xander's accident he had become a recluse not venturing farther then the mailbox. She worried about him, but the only way she knew to help him was to let him learn how to help himself.

"Has it ever occurred to you that Buffy might say yes... that she might in fact offer to take you herself?"

"Of course it did but Willow you and I both know Buffy won’t be able to sit still... you've seen some of the wrestlers there, her slayer senses will be going berserk."

"That comment didn't help your case much."

"Please Willow... I've been looking forward to this ever since I saw

Jeff Hardy fly through the air."

Willow had to agree with her there, Dawn had indeed been smitten by the high flyer with the multi-coloured hair and she knew this would be a dream come true for the young girl to actually see her idol in the flesh.

"When does this event take place?"

Dawn grinned knowing she had won the red head over.

"Tomorrow night." She cried excitedly.

The red head's expression turned from thoughtful to worried.

"You haven’t got front row seats have you?"

"No." Dawn started to pout again. "By the time we got to the front of the line at ticketek the only seats left were in the end zone."

That brought a relieved sigh from the redhead, the other girls knew

Willow's acute fear of being in or close to the spotlight so when she smiled Dawn knew she was actually going to get her wish.

She was going to see Jeff Hardy wrestle!

**

Part 2

**

"You didn't tell me we were coming to the pre-show signing!"

"Willow how can we not?" Dawn exclaimed as she bounced on the balls of her feet straining to see the front of the line. "Three words for you - 'Signed autographed photo's'"

The red head turned to Anya who stood on her other side to see the ex demon equally enthralled in seeing what lay at the front of the queue.

"Well getting my picture taken with a wrestler wasn't part of the deal so I'll be over there," Willow pointed off to the side where a stack of folding chairs sat all on there lonesome, there usage ignored as fans rushed from queue to queue. "Come get me when you're both ready to go find our seats."

"Okay Willow," Anya smiled brightly patting the red heads shoulder for good measure. "Have fun."

"Thank you for coming Will's, I owe you big time!" The youngest of the group squealed leaning forward to give Willow a quick hug before waving her off.

Willow shot them both a smile before making her way over to the chairs to plonk herself down on one quite content to just sit there and calmly sip her water bottle.

She looked around at the huge posters of the people they would see tonight, scowling faces with hard eyes and bared teeth. 'God what am I doing here.' She thought as her eyes fell on a poster of Jeff Hardy - The object of Dawn's affection. Spike had had a lot of explaining to do when Buffy found out he had let Dawn watch wrestling. Spike's argument of course was that she sees worse every other day in real life so where's the harm in a little wrestling? He had been in the dog house for a week but Buffy soon saw the logic in the bleached blond vampires words so instead of Dawn sneaking off to watch wrestling at Spike's crypt, they were both allowed to watch it in the Summer's living room - Hence Anya's addiction.

Buffy had burst into hysterical laughter the first time she had tried to take an interest in watching wrestling and was promptly told to leave the room. Where as Xander would watch now and then but it seemed along with his left eye he had lost his passion for most things, TV included – Except for ‘Passions’ of course which he preferred to watch alone for some reason.

And with her, well she was still a recovering magic addict so she spent most of her free time in her room re-learning the skills she had lost once the magic’s had pretty much become her life.

Her bedroom looked like the Sunnydale library with the piles upon piles of books and notes that littered the floor and bed, her trusty laptop always got lost amongst the muddle but she didn't care. She'd do anything necessary to get back to the Willow she use to be.

"Hi."

It took a while for her to register that that 'Hi' she heard planted in between her thoughts was actually real and directed at her, she nervously lifted her eyes to see a man in a grey beanie and dark sunglasses looming over her.

"Mind if I sit?"

"Ahh... n- no..." She stammered bringing her water bottle to her lips, her eyes following his denim clad form as he sat down in the chair next to her.

"You’re not in the mood for a photo with your favourite wrestler?" He asked cheerily leaning forward in his chair and resting his elbows on his knee's as he turned back to look at her.

"Well... I don’t really have a favourite wrestler, I'm kinda here as a favour." She replied returning his smile with a hesitant one of herown. "What about you?"

"There's one guy I think is pretty good," He said pointing to one of the posters.

Willow let her eyes follow his to where he pointed, the wrestler in question had long blonde hair, the kinda hair that would make a girl jealous and really intense eyes.

"Never seen him before," She said without thinking, then turned all kinds of red as the man next to her let out a hearty laugh.

"Well you should watch out for him tonight, maybe you'll have a different opinion to share with me after the show."

Willow's brow's creased.

"After the show?"

"The after show drink and meet."

"Oh." She looked down at her hands. "I don’t think that's in our schedule besides don’t you have to be invited or something?"

"Usually, but they hold competitions and such where fans can win a

VIP entrance pass"

"I don’t think we would stay for it anyway-"

"What seat number are you in, I'll fill you out an entry form if you like." He cut in already fishing through his pockets for a scrap piece of paper and a pen.

"Ahh... PP14... but really I don’t think-"

"Got it," He cut in again stuffing the piece of paper back into his pocket before looking at his watch. "Well I gotta go but it was nice chatting with you."

"Ahh… you too," She replied a little stunned.

"I'll look for you after the show."

Willow rolled her eyes but nodded her head in acquiescence even though she knew it was a long shot.

"Hey, what's your name?"

"Willow."

The smile he sent her was dazzling even without the added attraction of seeing his eyes hidden behind the sunglasses, but dazzling just the same. It wasn't until his retreating form had disappeared from her sight that she realised she didn't even know his name.

**

Part 3

**

"Oh wow! These seats are actually really good!" Dawn beamed from beside Willow, the ambience of the crowd already taking it's affect on the younger girl.

They were situated right at the back in the very last row but that proved to work to there advantage because they were up a level from everyone else who were stacked behind each other like sardines in a can.

"You sure, Dawn?" Anya asked eyeing the front row. "Would be easy enough for me to just send three people to another dimension for three hours..." Her words trailed off at the looks the other two girls gave her. "Okay, gee was just a suggestion."

Willow nearly jumped out of her seat as the pyro’s went off igniting the arena of fourteen thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine screaming fans and one very quiet Willow Rosenberg into flickering light.

Anya pointed excitedly towards the ramp as a figure emerged from the curtain to run down to the ring.

"Oh! Oh! there's... there's... who is that?"

"Oh, he's that little bald headed ring announcer!" Dawn cried and she couldn't help but clap along with the crowd willing the man now stepping into the ring to hurry up and introduce the first match.

He started off on this little spiel about the do's and dont's of taking photographs, throwing stuff towards the ring and so on and so forth... and it wasn’t long before the 'boring' chant started.

Willow was amazed to see how fast the crowd had changed from cheering the man as he ran down to the ring to booing him once he was there.

A few more minutes went by before music blasted throughout the arena and the first of the wrestlers involved in this first match emerged through the curtain to make his way down to the ring followed soon after by his opponent.

Dawn and Anya watched on in avid fascination, while Willow watched them watch on in avid fascination thinking that maybe 'avid fans' was maybe too weak a word to describe there expressions. It was like they were in another world that existed only them and the wrestling happening in that ring, oblivious to the loud cheering from other fans that went on around them.

Willow knew at once that she was in for a very long night.

**

"Hey Will's!" Willow was roused from her task of blocking everyone out around her when she felt Dawn's elbow in her side.

"Hey!" She exclaimed rubbing her hand over her side trying the still

Dawn's efforts of tugging on her arm long enough to make sense of what the girl was trying to say.

"It's him!"

"Who?"

"Him!"

"Him who?"

"Willow Rosenberg, you know exactly who I'm talking about and no matter how hard you try I will not turn to look at you and miss even one second of his ring time."

The red head chuckled before following Dawn's fixed gaze towards the ring, sure enough there was Jeff Hardy, doing his thing for the crowd. Her eyes moved to the other men in the ring, she recognised

Jeff's brother and tag team partner Matt and she had to admit as a team they looked very impressive.

"Isn't he the cutest thing you've ever seen?"

"Yes, the cutest... now if you don’t mind I'd like to go back to my dream state of being on a secluded beach with nothing but the sun shining down on me and the sound of the wave's crashing against the shore." she said once more closing her eyes.

Didn't take long for her mind to take her back to her deserted island where behind her she could see coconuts gathered in bunches underneath the shade of the long branches of the tree's which surrounded her tiny island... narwhales sprang out of the water only to dive back under again while dolphins danced atop the surface in playful glee. 'Ahhh... this was the-' "Ouch! Dawn!"

"Willow, he's looking right at you?" The young girl replied and Willow winced as the hold Dawn had on her arm turned into a death grip.

"Who?"

"Him!"

"Oh let's not start this again."

"Him! The tall one! Edge! He's looking right at you!" She exclaimed so caught up in her excitement she started to bounce up and down in her chair.

'Goddess help me.' Willow rolled her eyes before placing both hands on Dawn's shoulders stilling her movements.

"Dawn, we are seated among fifteen thousand plus people! There's no way-" Her words died on her lips as she turned to see why Anya had now decided to tug on her arm... and then she saw herself on the big screen in front of the fifteen thousand plus people she had just mentioned to Dawn and she did the only thing she could do when faced with a situation like that.

She froze.

**

Part 4

**

"You won something!"

Willow vaguely had this image of Anya jumping up and down like a little puppy who had just been given a treat. It was all good and well for them, they hadn't just seen there face plastered for all to see on a screen as big as the good year blimp!

"Willow, they're cheering for you to go down there... Willow... Willow can you hear me?"

"She's totally freaked."

"What are we gonna do?"

Both girls stared at one another for a few minutes, the same cunning light flickering in both their eyes before making a mad dash to the aisle.

"I'll go!"

"No. I'm the oldest... I'll go!"

"But it was my idea to come!"

"Age far out weighs intelligence!"

"I'll tell Buffy you and Xander had sex in the basement!"

Anya's mouth dropped.

"You wouldn't."

Dawn folded her arms across her chest.

"I so would."

"Hmmmpf!"

Dawn clapped her hands together and chuckled with glee as Anya stuck her nose in the air, turned on her heel and returned to her chair.

"That girl has a definite evil streak."

"Ev.. evil streak?" Willow squeaked in reply.

Anya nodded but her eyes remained on the happenings within the ring, Willow's face on the big screen now replaced by all the prize winners entering the ring.

"Oh, thank god." She sighed gratefully, yet she still felt like everyone's eyes were still on her. "Why did they only focus on me?

A lot of people won prizes."

"Yeah, but you won the big prize... free passes to the after party."

"Oh..."

"Yeah... I can honestly say I am very proud to know you right now Willow Rosenberg."

"I'll be back."

Anya frowned.

"Where are you going?"

Willow stood.

"Little girl’s room."

"But you don’t have a little girl... Willow?"

The red head just waved her off.

"Keep an eye on Dawn."

"Hmmmpf!" Anya sat back in her chair again and pouted. "That's like asking me to keep an Apocalypse from happening."

**

Jeff watched the girl as she entered the ring, pretty little thing with long brown hair and huge come drown in me blue eyes. His eyes travelled downwards over her hips and down her thighs then back up again, his eyes widening when her eye brow rose and her lips turn upwards in a knowing smile.

"Checking out the action already?" His brother whispered from behind him.

"Something like that..." Jeff replied making his intentions known to the girl as he stared back at her. 'Oh, yeah... he was in for some fun tonight-'

"Hi!"

"Huh?"

Matt elbowed his brother.

"I... I mean... hey!" Jeff broke his patent stare from the vision talking with Edge and Christian at the other side of the ring and stared down at the girl in front of him.

"Can I have your autograph?"

"Sure." He took the pen and paper she held out to him and started writing. "Who shall I sign it to?"

"Dawn... Dawn Summers."

He smiled.

"Pretty name Dawn Summers."

"Thank you."

"There you go." He said handing her back her pen and paper, he couldn't help but chance a glance towards the other side of the ring but the girl he had seen before had gone, obviously having just won a video or t-shirt. 'Another one bites the dust.' He thought sadly. 'Aw well.'

"Oh one more thing…"

Jeff focused his attention back on the girl still standing in front of him and before he could voice a reply she flung herself in his arms, her own arms wrapping around his neck as if her life depended on it.

"Woah! You got a live one there, bro!" Matt snickered slapping his now rather red faced brother on the back.

"A little help here please?" He spluttered from behind the veil of her hair.

Dawn felt her arms being removed from around Jeff's neck... but she didn't care... her whole body was tingling... and she made her mind up right then and there... she was never showering again!

**

Part 5

**

Willow couldn't believe the queue there was outside the ladies room it looked like half the females in the building had decided to 'go' all at the same time. Now she wished she hadn't of drunk all that water before, starting to more then feel its affects.

She looked to the front of the queue and closed her eyes trying to squash the thought of using magic to transpose her position at the end of the line.

'I won’t use magic, I won’t use magic...' She chanted only opening her eye's once that evil thought had left her and her expression brightened immediately when her eye's clamped onto a sign across the foyer.

Men’s Room.

'See,' She told herself leaving her place in the queue to disappear through the door labelled Men’s Room, 'Salvation comes in many shapes and forms.'

She expected the curious glances she got upon entry and returned them all with one of her own, no one was going to keep her from using the facilities and it wasn't like she hadn't seen a penis before.

Obvious relief clouded her face as she entered an empty stall closing the door behind her, the sound of the latch clicking indicating the stall was in use was like music to her ears.

It wasn't hard closing her mind to the sound of chuckles and snide remarks that came from outside her tiny stall, they would soon grow tired of it and leave and she had all the time in the world to wait.

When all seemed quiet outside the stall she tentatively unlocked the door and pulled it open.

"Didn't I tell you no one would recognise us?"

Willow quickly shut the stall door again as the entry door burst open.

"I can’t believe you actually get off on doing this." The other man replied.

"What can I say it's the little boy in me coming out to play besides the worst that can happen is I'll just get swamped by adoring fan's..."

"...and we all know how you love that." The other man finished for him. "Hey, did you get a look at that chick Edge wants to get his hooks into?"

"The red head?"

Willow's eye's nearly popped out of head and her mouth fell open.

"Yeah, that's the one. Man, that guy has all the luck."

"Luck! Pffft!" The other man scoffed. "He stole my disguise angle and went out amongst the fans during the signing. ‘He’ hand picked her so he wouldn't be stuck with a dog after the show."

"Way to go Edge! I oughta remember that when it's my turn to play up to a fan."

"Yeah well just remember where the idea came from and give credit where credit's due. Now you ready to go back out there and walk among the common folk?"

"After you,"

Willow heard the two men leave but she still counted to ten before opening the stall door, her face a mask of anger and degradation at being duped like that and to think all the hopeful fans out there sitting in the arena who had entered the competition hoping to win the main prize and meet their hero.

'Well,' She thought as she walked back out into the foyer, "If he thought he was going to rob some fan of there hopes and dreams he was sorely mistaken. She may not be able to turn him into an ass like she wanted to but she could damn well make sure a true fan of wrestling got those free passes.

**

Part 6

**

"But Willow-"

"No buts! Go in if you want but I'm staying right here."

"Here? You can’t stay here! We got small plastic cards on chains that say we get to go where everyone else wishes they could go."

That stopped the irate red head in her tracks as she considered Anya's words. She picked up the small VIP pass and turned it over in her palm. It was just a small black and white card which would probably get thrown out after the show, no real significance really... well not to her, but to some other person, like a real fan, they might keep it as a momentum of there time here. A keepsake to remind them of the time they met their favourite superstar.

"You know you are right, Anya."

"I am?"

Dawn elbowed the ex-demon in the side and she quickly cleared her throat.

"I... I mean I am. Of course I am."

They stared after Willow as she started walking away from them.

"Wait, where are you going?"

Willow just turned her head smiling in response to Dawn's question, they watched wide eyed as she stopped at the first person she came to and tapped them on the shoulder. They couldn't hear the words that were exchanged but Willow pointedly kept looking back over her shoulder at them with a conspiratorial glint in her eye before she shook hands with the stranger and then returned to stand beside them with a very satisfied smile on her face.

"What was that all about?"

"Oh... just making somebody’s wish come true." Her smile grew when the group she had just left all started jumping up and down excitedly. "Now if you will excuse me I will be waiting over there."

She pointed to a lush sofa situated between two big potted ferns before looking down at her watch. "Your hour starts now, have fun."

She smiled brightly giving them a thumbs up.

"An hour? We only get an hour? How am I supposed to get through all my sexual fantasies in only an hour?"

Dawn rolled her eyes.

"Lets not push our luck with Willow, okay An?" She said pulling Anya through the door that would lead them into the private after function.

**

Edge didn't understand it.

The two girls she had been seated with were here, Jeff's sour look and Christian's satisfied one told him that, hell he had gotten her whole row passes just to make sure she would come. Yet where was she? According to the doorman all passes issued out in his name had been returned. He just didn't understand it.

He resisted the urge to go up and ask one of her friends, god knew all the guys would rib him about her not showing up well into next week, and then his eyes brightened and he began to silently praise all things holy when he saw Jeff heading his way with the red heads friend in tow.

"You old enough to drink that?" Edge asked as they got within ear shot, the first thing attracting his attention was the tall glass of bubbling liquid she held in her hand.

"Not you too!" Dawn declared sending him a look that could have curdled milk.

"Trouble in paradise?" He whispered raising an eyebrow towards the younger Hardy brother while Dawn continued to glare at him.

"There is no paradise." Jeff replied through clenched teeth, "Where is your partner for the evening" He asked as they both turned adoring smiles in Dawn's direction.

"It seems my partner has left me for greener pastures." Edge replied pointing to the other side of the room where Jericho was immersed in one of his long undulated speeches with a group of very attentive fans hanging on to his every word. "I wonder what he talks about..."

Edge thought aloud.

"Probably himself." Jeff scoffed his eyes lighting up when he spied the girl with the long brown hair he had seen before, she was with the group that surrounded Jericho. Both Edge and Dawn turned to see what had captured his attention and Edge felt a sudden pang of dislike for his colleague when he saw the hurt look in his young companion’s eyes.

'Jeff really could be a cad at times... but then again, they all could.'

"Well, I better go..." Dawn started to back away uncomfortably, "...Willow's waiting and I-"

"Willow?" Edge hated halting her escape especially when Jeff excused himself to go over to the other woman.

"Yeah, she's waiting for me..." Although her words were directed at him her eyes stayed on Jeff. He expected to see tears in her eyes or something when her gaze finally met his but instead her eyes held an acceptance he hadn't expected to see in someone so young. He suddenly realised that this little scrap of a girl was showing more maturity then his friend and fellow wrestler, Jeff Hardy. "I'm just gonna-"

"Where is she?"

"Huh?"

"Willow." He saw her brows furrow as he continued, "Where is she?"

"Outside... in the foyer but-"

"Thanks."

Dawn watched as he walked towards the exit, she was floored and it showed in her expression. Deserted by two men in one night, could it get any worse? Her eyes fell on Anya in a heated lip lock with Edge's brother Christian and she chuckled not noticing the sound of her laughter drawing Jeff's eyes back to her.

'At least a wish is coming true for one of us.' She thought holding up her wrist to point at her watch once she had Anya's attention, Jeff at once noticing how her small action caused the older girl to loosen her arms from around Christian's waist, much to the Canadian’s, but she was adamant in her quest as she left him to join the young girls side.

Dawn smiled when his eyes went back to meet hers and offered him a friendly wave in farewell as both girls walked through the exit.

Jeff couldn't explain it but he suddenly didn't feel like partying anymore and found himself offering his own farewell to the girl standing by his side before joining the equally pouting Christian.

"You bombed out as well, huh?"

"I guess so," Jeff replied with a confused look marring his brow, his eyes inadvertently roving back to the exit doors. 'I guess so...' He thought wishing he had paid more attention to the energetic little bundle who went by the name of Dawn.

**

Edge saw her as soon as he entered the foyer she was sitting alone on a sofa close to the front entrance with her head buried in a magazine although it looked like she was using it to hide her face more then for its general usage.

Learning of her lack of knowledge about all things wrestling from there prior conversation, he pulled his beanie out of his pocket and made his way into the men's room, re-emerging a few minutes later to make his way over to her, his beanie pulled down low over his forehead and his sun glasses completing the look of the man she had met earlier.

"Ahem," He cleared his throat as he came to a stop in front of her and was slightly miffed when she didn't acknowledge his presence right away, not to mention the intense feeling he got that she had just rolled her eyes behind the magazine she held up in front of her face.

"Can I help you?"

Edge was confused. Where was the nervous, polite and utterly pretty young woman he had met at the beginning of the show?

"I looked for you inside... is there some reason you didn't use the pass?"

"Yep, a three hour long reason." She replied deadpan.

"I don’t understand."

Still not turning her eyes from the magazine she held she reached into her bag and pulled out a video tape of WrestleMania XIX.

'But I'm not even on that tape!' His mind screamed as he sat down beside her on the sofa his pride hurt by her declaration, it was obvious she had traded her pass for that tape. He wanted to rip that damn magazine out of her fingers and force her to look at him.

"Did you enjoy the matches?" His smile was strained.

She shrugged.

"They were... enlightening."

"And what are your thoughts on Edge?"

"Who?"

He raised his hand and pointed to an Edge Head poster gracing one of the foyer walls and was relieved when her eyes followed.

"Oh, him..." He was unprepared for the mischievous light that entered her eyes... or the words that fell from her pretty pink mouth. "I think he's shallow."

"Shallow!"

"Yes, shallow!" She repeated finally laying the magazine down by her side to stand with her hands planted firmly on her hips. "Anyone who would use the ruse of disguise to hand pick a fan to be his escort for the night is a... a... I'm too upset right now which is probably a good thing because you wouldn't like me when I'm angry and I can’t think of a bad word right now but if I could I would and you would be it!"

'Wow,' He thought inadvertently taking a step back. 'Did she even breathe during all that?'

He opened his mouth to explain then quickly shut it, her distress having reached a higher plane as she flailed on him with the magazine she'd been reading.

How she knew about Jericho's little pre-match ploy he had no idea, but he had to make her understand it hadn't been like that for him.

He had just wanted to walk among them talk to them without all the wrestling hype that went with it.

"Willow, please..." Edge grabbed her arms to still the blows she was laying on him and lifted his head, his breath caught in his throat at the sight of her. Her green eye's flashing, fury written all over her from the top of her bright red crown to the bottom of her camel coloured boots.

He stayed seated knowing if he stood he would tower over her and right now he liked that she had the upper hand, reaching up he pulled off his beanie, pulling his long blonde hair free of its restraint before running his fingers through it, totally missing the look of longing that came over her face.

"Willow, you have to believe me, that wasn't my intention. It's true that some of the guys put on a disguise to walk amongst the fans during these promotional events but I promise you, hand picking an escort was not my intention."

"How was it then that I was singled out in a crowd at a sold out arena?"

"Well, I admit 'that' was my doing... but only that, I promise."

The look she gave him was sceptical but a lot of the anger seemed to leave her form, her shoulders relaxing while her hands searched through her bag again pulling forth her water bottle.

They both looked up at the sound of laughter coming towards them and Edge stood then as Willow's two friends came to a stop beside them.

"Hey there, big guy," Anya smiled slipping her arm through Edge's.

"Down girl," Dawn laughed pulling Anya back behind Willow. "Shall we wait outside?"

"No... I'm ready to leave."

"I want to see you again!" The words were out of his mouth before they even registered in his head and he was again hit with a sense of maturity from Dawn as her eyes met his in understanding.

"I don’t think that would be a good idea..."

"Phone number?"

"...you move around a lot... my phone number?"

Willow was all astonishment and her brain didn't seem to want to work right then so she just stood there and stared back at him with her mouth open.

"Yes, you do have one right?"

"Sure, she has one," Dawn offered but before she could continue with the number a hand clamped over her mouth and she was unceremoniously pulled towards the door.

"Bye." Anya smiled offering him a small wave before following a determined Willow and a laughing Dawn out of the arena.

He sighed as the door closed behind her and turned to head back to the locker room to pick up his bag, his mind already deciding this night had come to an end when the entrance door swung open again with such force it bounced on its hinges as it hit the back wall and a breathless Dawn appeared. She squealed and hung on to the door frame as if someone on the other side was trying to pull her free.

"Her number is 555-1433333333333.....!" And then she was gone, disappearing in a swoosh of laughter, baby blue and long brown hair, all signs of the maturity he had seen in her before gone.

He raised his hand to rub at his chin, a little habit he had when he went into thinking mode.

'She certainly was a ball of mischief,' He chuckled shaking his head. 'Pity she had only been able to belt out part of the number before being literally wrenched from the door frame,' He thought once again heading towards the locker rooms, he wasn't that clueless to know the number ended after the first 3... And then chuckled, 'But it couldn't hurt to try it anyway.'

**

Part 7

**

"What are you doing?"

Edge jumped at the voice, his hands immediately snapping his phone shut before stuffing the piece of paper he'd been holding under his jacket.

"Ah... nothing," He replied rather hurriedly.

Christian quirked an eyebrow, his curiosity peaked.

"You’re lying."

"Are not."

"Are too."

"Are not."

"Show me what's under your jacket then."

"Make me."

"Boys! Boys! Boys!" Jeff yelled so they would hear him over there already raised voices. He ducked through the two men who were standing eye to eye before making himself comfortable on one of the benches. "Okay, continue."

Edge and Christian just stared at him.

"Ah... I said continue... it's been a while since I've seen a really good family feud…" Jeff explained, "And knowing you two dumb asses it's probably over something trivial like a split-end."

The words were barely out of his mouth when he grunted all the air knocked from his lungs as he found himself sprawled out on the floor with both brothers on top of him.

"Hey guy's."

Three sets of eyes turned to see Lita bouncing on the balls of her feet in the doorway. "Having fun?"

"Edge has a secret!" Christian yelled, dodging his brother’s fist as it flew towards him.

"Have not."

"Have too!"

"Have not!"

"Here we go again." Jeff rolled his eyes. Lita hollered in laughter and Christian howled in pain as Edge's foot connected with his shin.

Edge got to his feet and went about stuffing his things into his bag.

They could all tell by the set of his shoulders that the elder Canadian brother wasn't in a very good mood.

Lita felt for him, knowing this had probably something to do with the little red head he'd met in LA a couple months ago. A girl he had fallen for on sight and lost just as fast.

Her mind flashed back a few weeks when she had happened upon him drunk in a hotel bar with a litter of hopeful girls on his arms, being as drunk as he was she quickly extracted him from the little harem he had acquired and helped him up to his room.

'A gurrrl with flaming r... red hair just like yoursh, Li.' He had drunkenly slurred in her ear as she held him up inside the elevator.

'Ansh deep green eyes... that made me wanth to dive into there

depthsh and s... stay there forev- 'hiccup' and ever...'

She got him to his room, fished his key card out of his jacket pocket and opened the door. Letting him drop to the bed face down when they were close enough before she removed his boots and pulled a blanket up over him, his even breathing and light snoring telling her he was already in slumber. She reached down to brush his long hair away from his face, leaning in to kiss him lightly on the cheek before heading back to the door.

'Li?'

'Yeah?' She replied her hand resting lightly on the door knob.

'I think I love her.'

The next morning he hadn't remembered his drunken admission to her or he had chosen not to, but he did thank her for stopping him from making one of the biggest mistakes of life by getting him away from the group of girls he had been seated with and helping him back to his room.

As far as she knew he had begun a search for her based on what he knew already, which wasn't much judging from what she could squeeze out of Jeff. The younger Hardy may be her best friend but sometimes he could be a stubborn ass, but all in all, Edge's efforts had all turned into dead ends.

Christian felt the tension in the room and knew he had been the cause of it. He lifted his hand to his brother’s shoulder.

"Sorry, man, I was just mucking around." He said.

Edge looked up and shrugged.

"I know. I just haven’t been feeling myself lately."

"You all haven't been yourselves lately," Lita said waving her arms at the three of them watching as they all got far away looks in there eyes. "What the hell had happened in LA?"

The three men all stared at one another before turning to look at her.

"We met a girl." They all said in unison.

Lita's mouth fell open.

"That's it?"

"Isn't that enough?" Jeff replied his face mirroring her expression.

"No." She replied deadpan. "You three have to be the biggest wusses

I have ever met!"

"Hey!" Christian's brows furrowed as he feigned hurt. "That's Mr

Wuss."

"Okay, let me get this straight." Lita started pacing back and forth

infront of them. "You all met a girl."

"Yes." They all replied.

"The same girl?"

"No!"

"Phew!" She looked relieved. "Okay, now what steps have you all taken to mayhaps meet these three girls again?"

"Well..." Jeff began.

"You see..." Christian added.

"We don’t know that much about them." Edge finished for them.

"What do you know?" she asked loving the way her questions made them all squirm, she never really got opportunities like this to grill them silly. She was enjoying herself immensely.

"There first name."

"And?"

"That they may or may not live in LA."

"And?"

"Ummm..."

"Ahhh..."

"You three are absolutely hopeless!" She exclaimed shaking her head.

"No wonder you have hit all dead ends." She laughed, clapping a hand over her mouth as she watched Edge glare at Jeff. She forgot that for now she wasn't supposed to know about Edge's efforts.

"Well..." Edge began pulling the piece of paper he had been hiding out from under his jacket. "There is something I never mentioned."

"Oh?" Lita quirked a brow.

"Before they left, Dawn gave me part of a phone number..."

"Only part?" Jeff said snatching the piece of paper from Edge's fingers.

Lita saw amusement flitter in Edge's eyes as he answered.

"Well, she was being pulled out the door at the time."

"By who?" Jeff demanded puffing his chest out.

"By Willow."

"And you’re just telling us now?" Christian said planting his hands on his hips causing Lita to giggle. 'The sight of him now would have her in stitches for a week!'

"I didn't wanna get your hopes up." Edge shrugged.

Jeff handed the piece of paper over to Christian who perused it thoughtfully.

"So, I take it when I walked in you were trying this number out?"

Edge nodded.

"I've tried different sequences but... no luck as yet."

Christian threw his hands up.

"Why the hell did you stop?" He exclaimed pulling his mobile phone out and flicking it open before turning to the others. "Well what are you all waiting for? Get your phones out! Dial! Dial! Dial!"

**

Part 8

**

"Dawn! If you’re not down here in ten minutes I will not be held accountable for my actions!"

Buffy hollered from the bottom of the stairwell, her eyes on her watch as she watched the minute hand pass the hour symbol.

"Nine minutes!"

"Okay, okay," Dawn managed to mumble through a yawn. "I'm here?"

Buffy took one look at her younger sister and planted her hands firmly on her hips.

"Dawn you know Willow and I are meeting with Cordelia and Fred in LA today, it would help if you would cease with the dramatics and ready yourself for school already."

"But I want to come to LA it's been ages since I've seen Cordelia and Fred."

By her sister's determined stance Dawn knew her plea was falling on closed ears, but the pixie inside her was willing her to try anyway and it wasn't as if they were going there to fight some big bad or anything. They were going there to shop!

"Please..."

"No."

"Puh-leeeeeaseeee..."

"No."

"Please, please, please, please, please..."

"No, no, no, no, no." Buffy replied sweetly, not deterred by Dawn crestfallen expression. "Dawn, Social Services will be on my back if you miss even one day of school." Buffy watched as her sisters shoulders deflated. "I promise, this weekend, we'll do something special. Just you and I, okay?"

Dawn raised her head and although Buffy could tell the younger girls smile was forced, Dawn nodded her head in acquiescence. Wrapping an arm around Dawn's shoulder's Buffy lead her into the kitchen where Willow and Xander waited.

Willow looked up and saw the strain it took for Dawn to keep the smile on her face, she wished there was something she could do, but Buffy was right. Upsetting there case officer at Social Services was not something they could afford to do. They were already on there second strike, one more and Dawn would be placed in a foster home.

"Hey, Dawnie," Willow said moving away from the cook top to place a plate down on the counter. "I made your favourite."

Dawn's smile brightened somewhat at the pancakes Willow had lavishly spread with peanut butter.

"Thanks, Wills."

She heard Xander mumble something from across the counter before he got up and headed back up the stairs, moments later they heard his bedroom door close.

Buffy, Dawn and Willow all shared a look, all wanting, all needing, all missing the Xander they knew before he lost his eye.

It was then and there that Dawn knew she had to stay, if not to keep Buffy and Social Services happy then just to be here in the house with Xander, it would be up to her to look after things till Buffy and Willow returned. She could go shopping anytime.

Buffy quirked a brow and Willow smiled happily when Dawn attacked her breakfast her mood now cruising on a whole new level.

"I could get you a Jeff Hardy souvenir, if you want," Buffy suggested as she went through the contents of her purse. "I'm sure there’s space on your wall for another poster."

Dawn's face screwed up.

"Nah, that's okay. Thanks though."

Buffy looked questioningly at Willow who inched closer to her friend.

"You haven’t been in Dawn's room lately have you?" Willow whispered.

Buffy’s brow arched and she leaned closer.

“No. Why? Should I be worried?" She asked.

Willow shook her head and replied.

"Her room is now Jeff Hardy free."

"You are kidding me."

"Nope,"

"Wow," Buffy almost couldn't believe it. Her younger sibling had practically drooled over the guy at first sight. Her room would have been classed as a shrine she had so much posters, t-shirts and flags covering the walls, and what surface space her book shelves and dresser had free were covered with some little Hardy knick knack.

"I think meeting him face to face and seeing the real Jeff Hardy instead of the character Jeff Hardy had a lot to do with it."

Buffy's brows drew together again.

"Why? What he do?"

"Nothing,” The red head replied. “That was the problem."

Willow moved to the fridge and poured a glass of orange juice, placing it down in front of Dawn who smiled appreciatively in thanks before she returned to Buffy and there conversation.

"We won some passes to an after show drink and meet, each winner was assigned a wrestler to mingle with. Dawn got Jeff Hardy."

"But that should have been a good thing, Dawn watches his every match, she would have been over the moon."

"Yes, she should have been, except he spent most of the night trying to run away from her."

Willow purposely left the part out about her allowing Dawn to go in with only Anya as an escort but as Willow had seen on the night, Anya had proved her worth when the ex-demon/man eater had exited the party an hour later... clothes intact.

"He didn't," Buffy eyes were as wide as saucers. "Poor Dawn."

"No, not poor Dawn at all, she never let his avoidance tactics ruin her night. I think she was just happy to actually meet them, all of them."

Buffy let her gaze fall on the younger girl still seated at the table with her head bobbing up and down to a tune that played on the radio as she ate her breakfast.

"Maybe I should let her come..."

Willow smiled.

"I'm sure a quick phone call to the school to alert them of a very nasty tummy bug might lay things over with social services..."

"...As long as they don’t decide to make a house call." Buffy finished for her.

Willow's expression turned thoughtful.

"Hmmm... a very contagious tummy bug?"

Buffy grinned.

"Works for me,"

Willow moved to the counter but Dawn's voice from the table stilled her hands efforts in picking up the receiver.

"It's okay, I'll stay here."

Both Willow and Buffy moved to the table and sat down on either side of Dawn.

"Are you sure, Dawn?"

"Yeah, it was a bit selfish of me to want to go in the first place, I mean it is a school day and I should probably get all the learning I can now this being my final year and all."

Buffy could almost cry. 'Her little sister was growing up!'

She grinned at them as she rose from the table.

"But I wouldn't say no to the many gifts I know you'll bring back for me."

"There had to be a catch."

Buffy teased as she rose as well, going back to the counter where her purse lay and automatically fell into mother mode.

"You have both our cell numbers, yes?"

"Yes."

"You have Anya's number at the magic shop?"

"Yes."

"You have Angel’s number just in case you can’t reach us on our cells."

"Yes, yes."

"Good," Buffy smiled satisfied. "Now Xander and Spike are going to be here all day so you can either come straight home after school or go to the magic box and come home with Anya, but either way I want you home before us. Got it."

"Got it."

"Now, hurry, we'll give you a ride to school before we go."

Willow grinned as Dawn stood straight and tall, bringing her hand up to her forehead in salute and called out a hearty 'Yes, mam.' before marching purposely out of the kitchen.

**

Part 9

**

"Whoever came up with the slogan 'Let your fingers do the walking' ought to be skewered, left to slowly roast over an open fire then carved up with a blunt knife."

Lita giggled from her position on the floor, she was flat on her back staring up at the white ceiling, her long red hair fanned out around her head and her mobile phone lying on top of the sofa where she had happily thrown it.

"Yeah, well, I'm sure that whoever came up with that slogan didn't mean for it to be taken literally." She countered not taking her eyes off the ceiling.

"I can’t feel the tips of my fingers," Christian held his hands up and waved them in front of his face.

"There goes his sex life." Jeff teased shooting Lita a grin, ducking just in time as a pillow zoomed passed his head.

"Shut it, Hardy," Christian warned.

"Or what Blondie? You gonna beat me to death with your spirit fingers?"

Christian awkwardly scratched his chin.

"Hmmm, now there’s an idea."

Jeff jumped up from the bed he'd been lying on and took on a battle stance.

"An idea? That's a new one for you." He had barely plastered his cheekiest smile to his face before the air was knocked from his lungs as Christian barrelled into him.

Lita rolled her eyes.

"Great," She mumbled closing her eyes to there antics. "Now I have deja vu."

The tall frame of the older Canadian moving across the room brought a stop to Jeff and Christian’s sparring as they both turned to stare at him as if awaiting his next move. They didn't have to wait long as Edge drove his fist through the wall.

"I can’t believe we've spent the better part of the night chasing a lost cause." He said more to himself then anyone else as he stared unseeingly out the window.

Lita's heart ached for her friend knowing his desire to find the young redhead he had drunkenly confessed to her about, far surpassed that of his brother or Jeff. She stood and moved to stand behind him placing her hand on his shoulder as she absently rubbed her cheek back and forth across his arm in comfort.

"Hey, you can’t give up now. This is just one minor obstacle."

"One?" He cocked a brow but didn't turn his gaze from the view outside. "Li, this is one obstacle that has been one of many." He admitted giving no other indication that he was accepting the comfort Lita offered. "Maybe it just wasn't meant to be."

He gave a start as Lita slapped him upside the head.

"What side of the brain are you thinking with?" She exclaimed stepping back to plant her hands on her hips. "Is this the man that dressed in gold spandex and defeated Matt and Jeff for the tag titles?"

Jeff's mouth fell open.

"That was you?"

Both Edge and Christian grinned sheepishly while Lita continued.

"The man that defeated four other men to become King of the Ring,"

She poked her finger in his chest to emphasise her next words.

"Where is the man who shaved Kurt Angle bald?"

Edge had turned during her verbal spiel and now leaned on the windowsill with an amused expression on his face.

"Gee, Li I didn't know you followed my career 'that' closely."

"Aw, blow it out both nostrils instead of one and your head won’t feel so big." She countered not giving him time to reply as she carried on. "My point is you have obviously put a lot of time and effort into finding this girl," She held her hand up when once again he opened his mouth to reply, "Now don’t deny it, Edge. It's been over two months now and you’re still holding on to half a phone number."

He quickly shut his mouth.

"Maybe what you need to do is clear your mind for a day or so, go for a walk or something, smell the roses. Then after you've revitalised not only your body but also your memory we can all sit down again and backtrack over what you've done already to find her."

Edge's eyes flew to Jeff who at that moment suddenly found he had something in his eye as he lowered his head to avoid the older man's stare.

"We got the day off tomorrow, right?" Lita said moving from the window to the door. "Right?" She repeated more loudly when all men remained silent.

"Yeah, but I was gonna go over a few moves with Matt."

"And I was going to go too," Edge glared at the younger Hardy, daring him to say different.

Christian quickly got up off the bed and in his haste to provide Lita with an excuse to get out of whatever plan was forming in her mind his foot got caught in the covers and he found himself face down on the floor. A red tinge stained his cheeks but his embarrassment was short lived as he grinned up at them all.

"Don’t tell me, you were going to go too." Lita said saving him the trouble of providing an excuse.

Christian brought one hand to his chest and gasped.

"Wow, you like totally read my mind!"

"Well, you hang around one blonde Canadian long enough and you learn the mannerisms of them all." She said pulling her mobile from her bag and flipping it open. "Matt, hey, it’s Lita... yeah fine... we still on for tomorrow?" She looked up to see Jeff cringe, Christian blush and Edge whistle as he turned to stare back out the window. "We are? Great... no, no. I just talked your brother and the blonde duo into coming as well." She had to stifle her laughter as all three men stared at her in horror. "Yeah... hotel lobby, 7am pick up, got it... see you then." She looked straight at Jeff and smiled sweetly after she had ended her call. "Gee, Jeff, I sure hope those moves you wanted to go over with Matt weren’t important." She reached out and pulled the door open. “7am, hotel lobby,” She continued waving to them as she walked out, only to appear a few moments later to say. “…Wear comfortable shoes.”

"Comfortable shoes?" Edge was the first one to snap out of it and flew to the door pulling it open just as Lita was pulling it closed.

"Where are we going? What have you gotten us into?"

"And why did you invite Matt first?” Jeff wanted to know. “I thought I was your best friend."

"I didn’t invite Matt," She said answering Jeff’s question first. "He overheard me making arrangements to meet up with my cousin who I haven’t seen in yonks and after I showed him the picture of her I have in my wallet he kind of invited himself."

"You have a cousin?" All three men said in unison.

"Yes, I have a cousin." She confirmed letting Edge win in the battle of the door by releasing her hold on the door handle. "She’s my only cousin actually, our parents are estranged but we always try to keep in contact and since I was at home when you and the roster did its rounds in LA, I never got to see her."

"And your taking us with you," Edge said motioning to Christian and Jeff who now stood behind him.

She grinned.

"Yep."

"Do we get to see the picture of your cousin?" Christian asked, his horror filled eyes at her arranging his day off now replaced with curiosity.

"I don’t see why not," She replied fishing through her purse for her wallet. "Ah, here it is, it’s an old pic from when she was back in high school."

"Ah, a cheerleader, hubba, hubba!"

"That was Matt’s reaction too." Lita giggled as the picture went from

Christian to Jeff to Edge then back to her.

Jeff shrugged.

"I’ve known you all my life, Li, yet I had no idea you had a cousin."

"Well, a girl has to have some secrets." She replied straightening up from where she leaned on the doorjamb, "Now, we have been up most of the night so I am going to go back to my room and get some rest, I suggest you all do the same." She grinned as a barrage of ‘Yes mum’s’ flowed from their mouths. "Remember, 7am - hotel lobby - comfortable shoes, don’t make me come get you."

The expressions on all their faces as she left their room were priceless. 'God, I'm good,' She thought practically skipping down the hallway.

**

Part 10

**

"Your cousin lives there?"

Lita checked the address she had and then looked up at the building they currently stood looking up at.

"Hyperion Hotel. This is the place." She shrugged walking ahead of them up the path.

"Wow, what does your cousin do for a living?" Matt asked ambling up after the redhead.

Christian and Jeff shared a look as she answered.

"I don’t really know. That's something we've never actually talked about."

"You mean you were too ashamed to tell her you’re a wrestler?"

Christian queried.

"Kind of," She admitted. "Cordelia was always the popular one, the one that all the girls tried to be like and all the guys wanted to date, whereas I was just the tomboy cousin who came to visit twice a year. I wouldn't be surprised if she owned this place."

"Well, Li," Jeff said wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "It's time to let go of that insecurity because damn girl! You are fine!"

"And as for being popular? Li, your fan base out shines most of the male roster." Edge added.

"Yeah, I know," She smiled at her friends. "I guess old habits really are hard to break."

"Hi yall!"

They all turned to see a slip of a girl walking up the path with a cardboard box which looked and smelled like it was full of burritos. "Can I help you with something?"

"Ah, hi," Lita grinned stepping forward. "I was looking for Cordelia

Chase, have we got the right place?"

"Well, sure!" The girls face seemed to brighten more at hearing her cousin’s name. "Follow me."

Christian, Edge, Matt, Jeff and Lita all moved back to let the little brunette precede them up the path.

"Oh," She stopped suddenly and turned with her hand out stretched.

"Sorry, I always forget to introduce myself. I'm Fred."

**

"Little awkward don’t you think?"

Wesley rolled his eyes.

"Awkward how exactly?"

"Those three doing the girly thing together,"

He motioned with his head towards the three women standing around the coffee percolator.

"I mean, even you have to agree that that's something that doesn't happen too often."

"I think it's good for her, she need's to be surrounded by people other then us, and let's face it, before Fred came the Y chromosome has pretty much over shadowed Cordy's girly side." He turned to face Angel then, his brows lifting in there 'I am the boss, you will obey me' manner. "I know you care about her, Angel, but going one day without having Cordy within smelling distance isn't going to kill you." He frowned. "I really just said that, didn't I?"

"But what if she has a vision or something..." Angel continued ignoring what the other man had just said.

"She has all our cell numbers." He shrugged. "And I'm sure if she did

Buffy would be able to handle it if we were unreachable."

Angel just continued to stare at the group of girls chatting over there coffee cups.

“You went to watch a wrestling event?" He heard Cordeliaask, inwardly smiling at the teasing note he picked up in her tone.

"Yep," Willow replied, "Spike and Xander have been rubbing off on Dawn and now she's hooked."

"What are they talking about?"

"What- Huh?"

Wesley had no doubt that if it were possible Angel would now be the colour of the blood he drank every other day.

"How should I know?" Angel continued sheepishly, forcing himself to concentrate on the book he held in his hands.

"Guy's I'm just going to show the girls up to their rooms." Cordelia called out to them not waiting for a reply as she lead them towards the stairs.

Angel walked out of Wesley's office, his eyes following the women as they ascended the stairway.

"Are you sure that's all your worried about?" Wesley asked as he followed the vampire into the hotel lobby.

But before Angel could answer the door burst open and Fred walked in, a grin as big as the Grand Canyon on her face.

"Hi yall! Breakfast burrito's for everyone!"

Both Wesley and Angel frowned at the group of people who walked in behind Fred.

"I didn't know what kind you guys would like so I just got one of every kind they had on the menu." Fred continued placing her burden down on the counter top. "Isn't this just the best morning ever? The sun is shining and I swear all the birds in LA woke up to sing in the new dawn."

"Ah, Fred," Angel began nodding towards the group huddled in the doorway. "Who are your friends?"

Fred clamped a hand across her forehead.

"Oh god!" She said rushing back to the door to stand in front of the redhead. "I'm sorry, it's so busy inside my head I forgot about yall for a minute."

"It's okay," Lita replied sending a grin in Jeff's direction. "I know someone who has the same problem."

Wesley stepped forward.

"How can we help you?"

"They're looking for Cordelia," Fred piped up before Lita could even open her mouth. "Oh, did Buffy and Will-"

"Lita?"

Lita looked up at the top of the stairway to see her cousin hurriedly making her way down.

"Cordelia!"

"Oh my god, I can’t believe you’re finally here!" Cordelia exclaimed wrapping her arms around the redhead as she met her at the bottom of the stairs. "Gosh, how long has it been?"

"Too long," The redhead replied returning the hug. "You've cut your hair?"

Cordelia laughed pointing to Lita's own head.

"And you've let your's grow."

"Ahem." Both girls turned to find the source of the interruption.

"Remember us?" Matt waved to them causing Lita to roll her eyes.

"These are my friends," She said pulling Cordelia towards them. "This is Matt, Jeff, Edge and Christian. They have so graciously volunteered to follow us around today as our official bag carrier's."

Cordelia's brow went up, obviously impressed. She turned to stare at Angel and Wesley over her shoulder.

"See, chivalry is not dead." She grinned and mouthed the word 'Hot' to Fred who giggled in agreement.

Angel scowled.

"These are my friends and family..." She continued. "This is Fred,

Wesley and big broody over there is Angel." She grinned again when Angel glared at her. "Guy's, this is my cousin, Lita."

Fred and Wesley stepped closer to the group while Angel sidled up to Cordelia.

"I- we would have... if you needed..."

"Yeah, I know and I love you guys all the more for it, but big yellow sun plus Angel equals dust..." She shrugged. "…So really not an option,"

"Hmmm… you’re right. Maybe you should go after sunset."

"Angel!" She glared hitting him on the arm.

"Ow!" He feigned hurt.

"Big baby." She muttered before turning back to the others. "You ready to get this show on the road?"

Lita held up her visa card.

"Armed and waiting."

The redhead missed the look of longing that passed over Cordelia's face, it seemed like a life time had passed since she'd experienced financial freedom and seeing Lita now really showed how there lives had changed. A complete swap it seemed. Here Lita was surrounded by hunky men and holding up a credit card while she hadn't had a date in so long she'd forgotten what one felt like, not to mention how they all had to scrimp and save to get by. Yet, looking around at Angel, Wesley and Fred, after all they had been through she wouldn't have it any other way.

She smiled.

"I invited some friends from Sunnydale along, they're upstairs right now, so I'll just go up and get them and we can leave."

She turned to head back up the stairs when a hand on her arm stopped her.

"Fred, do you mind going up..." Angel said.

"Sure, no problem." She replied already climbing the stairs before

Angel had a chance to finish what he was saying.

"Angel?" Cordelia said her expression askance.

"Will, you excuse us?" He said to Lita before pulling Cordy towards Wesley's office. "Ah. Wes, get them some coffee or something... ah..." He shrugged. "Have a burrito."

"Angel, what are you-" Was all they heard as the office door closed.

**

"Angel what are you doing?"

"I-"

"We talked about this,"

"I'm not-"

"I just want one day without any icky demon puss staining my clothes or having to dodge giant claws and tentacles."

"Cordy-"

"I just want a normal day, is that too much to ask?"

"No, it's not." He agreed perching himself on the edge of Wesley's desk. "But-"

She rolled her eyes.

"There's always a ‘but’."

"But," He repeated. "You still have to be careful I don’t like it when you go out during the day... where I can’t follow."

"I know, but Buffy can."

"But-"

She groaned.

"Another ‘but’?"

Angel folded his arms across his chest and Cordelia relented suddenly realising how serious he was.

"Angel," She took a step closer to him and brought her hands up to cup his cheeks. "I know why you don’t want me to go."

He swallowed.

"Y... you do?"

She nodded.

"It's because of Vocah, isn’t it?"

"Huh?"

"It's because he got to me in daylight."

"Oh, y... yes, I-"

"Angel, what happened with Vocah wasn't your fault." Her thumb stroked his jaw. "And I doubt he'll be the last one who use's me to get at you. But," She held up her hand to stall him when he made to protest. "I'm not going to shut myself away either. I know what's out there, I know the dangers, but I also know that I'm not alone." She smiled. "I got you, and Wesley... and Fred."

He held her gaze for a minute then nodded, knowing she was right.

"Good." She grinned and stepped back. "So, can I go now?"

He got up and walked around to the other side of the desk, opening a draw he took out an envelope and held it out to her.

"What is it?" She asked curiosity getting the better of her as she reached for it.

"Don’t ask questions, just take it."

Opening the envelope she saw it held a stack of one hundred dollar notes.

"Oh my god… Angel, where did this come from?"

He shrugged.

"It's just something I've been stashing away for a rainy day."

"Angel, I can’t take this." She said holding the envelope back out to him.

"Yes, you can. And you will."

"But-"

"Don’t argue with me, Cordy. Please, I want you to have it."

"I don’t know what to say." She said her hands dropping to her sides.

"Then don’t say anything, just go out and buy that dress you're always wanted but couldn't afford."

She stepped towards him again this time wrap her arms around his neck.

"You are the best friend a girl could ever have." She whispered into his ear. "Thank you."

Time seemed to stand still for the both of them as they remained as they were, neither wanting it to end until a lot of yelling and the sound of furniture being tipped over had them both heading for the door, only to stop in astonishment at what awaited them on the other side.

There in the middle of the lobby floor lay Jeff Hardy with a very pissed off slayer standing over him.

**

Part 11

**

"What the hell?"

It all seemed to happen at once. Lita didn't know what to make of it. One minute they were standing in the lobby waiting for her cousin and then... whoosh! This blur of colour shot past her and ended in the form of a skinny blonde atop a very surprised Jeff Hardy.

No one moved. No one spoke. It was almost as if time had stopped. Then all at once everyone began to talk in rushed tones, all trying to be heard over the rest. Christian, in an attempt to peel the little blonde off of the younger Hardy soon found himself on his ass as the blonde just brushed him off.

"Whoa there!" Matt exclaimed his mouth turned upwards in a crooked grin. "I think I like her."

"Come on, Buffy, let him up." Angel said moving forward and plucking the little blonde off of the fallen Hardy. He looked down at her like he would a little girl in need of scolding so she did what any little girl would do. She poked her tongue out at him and stomped across the room.

"You want to explain?" He asked turning his attention to Jeff as Edge helped both he and Christian to their feet, not missing how the taller blonde man's gaze seemed to be burning a hole right through Willow. "Do you know these people Willow?"

Willow looked sheepishly from Angel to Edge. "Well, you see-"

"You're Edge's redhead?" Lita cut in a look of merriment on her face as she extended her hand to Willow. "Hey, how are you? I've heard so much about you!"

The wicca swallowed.

"Y... you have?"

"Yeah!" The tall redhead continued to beam. "You're all this big lug talk's about," She leaned forward and raised her hand conspiratorially. "What is your phone number by the way-"

"That's enough out of you," Edge blurted out snatching a giggling Lita back with a firmly placed hand on her shoulder.

It was left to Cordelia to voice the thought that was on the mind of every member of the A1 team.

"Edge's Willow?"

"Yeah, and man of many hair colours there ignored Dawn!" Buffy piped up stalking towards the younger Hardy again only to be met with Angel's arm as he snagged her around the waist.

"Buffy, calm down, these are human's not-" He stopped himself in mid speech as if something important had just occurred to him. "He ignored Dawn?"

"You betcha by golly wow!" Buffy confirmed only now noticing the tall brunette man who had purposely stepped in front of the object of her glare. Her brow rose as he confidently met her open stare with one of his own.

"Oh, well, in that case," Angel continued, "Please continue." He said letting go of his hold on Buffy.

"Angel." Cordelia admonished slapping the vampire on the arm.

"What? He ignored D-" Angel's protests were short lived as Cordelia raised a perfectly manicured brow. He swallowed, his arm once again reaching out to pull Buffy back.

"Is Dawn here?" All eyes turned to acknowledge the voice and Jeff inadvertently took a step back.

'Man there's something really off about these people.' He thought to himself, but out loud he said, "If she is, I would really like to apologise to her."

Buffy rolled her eye's letting her gaze fall on the shorter of the two blonde men.

"And I suppose you're just dying to see Anya again."

"Ah... um... sure... I mean yes. Yes, I am." Christian staggered to bring the words forth.

"Well, ah... um... gee that's too bad because they're not here!"

"Buffy," Willow turned her resolve face on her friend and everyone watched as Buffy took a step back and pouted. Angel looked like he was about to blow a gasket.

'He really did need to control his fatherly vibe toward them all.' She thought, her smile immediately straightening out his furrowed brow. 'Maybe if he did, he'd actually get somewhere with Cordelia.'

She turned to face Jeff and Christian, trying not to let her gaze wonder over the tallest of the men as she told them, "Buffy is right, Anya and Dawn aren’t here."

Both their faces fell at hearing her word's but she had no time to feel sorry for them, they had some serious shopping to do and there was still a whole heap of explaining to do.

"And Angel," She continued turning back to the vampire. "We...well... not-" She motioned with a wave of her hand around the room. "-'We', but Anya, Dawnie and I went to see a wrestling match and Dawnie wanted to get autographs, then there was this cute- I mean this guy in a beanie and he entered me into some competition and gee what'ya know I won... what are the chances of that happening huh? Anyway, so I won and these guy's are wrestlers, okay?" She smiled and patted his arm before turning to Cordelia. "Shall we go?"

Cordelia could only watch as Willow marched out of the front door and into the sunlight where she knew Angel couldn't follow to question her further. She knew by the look on Angel's face her wicca friend would be in for one lengthy lecture when they returned.

"Gee, Fred," She pouted. "They go out, they see muscled sex gods. We go out and we're lucky to see over Angel's shoulder."

Angel glared.

Cordy grinned.

Fred giggled.

"Buffy?" She continued, motioning to the open doorway.

"Already there," The slayer said picking up her purse. "Don’t worry," She said in parting to Angel. "We can kick his ass after shopping."

"Timmmmmberrrrrrrrrrrrrr...." Gunn said shooting a look Wesley's way as all but the three male members of the A1 team left via the hotel entrance.

**

Part 12

**

“Just go up and say ‘Hi’, it’s that simple.”

“But what if she ignores me?”

Jeff shrugged.

“Then she ignores you, wouldn’t be a first.”

Edge sent him a pointed look.

“Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence.”

“Look on the bright side,” The ‘woe is me’ look in the younger Hardy’s expression didn’t warrant his words and Edge almost felt sorry for him. “At least she’s here.”

Edge nodded as they both sent a look Buffy’s way.

“She’s scary,” Edge whispered.

It was Jeff’s turn to nod not doubting his friend’s words.

“I don’t stand a chance of seeing Dawn again with big bad Buffy on the scene.” He grumbled. “Why Couldn’t Dawn have been Willow’s sister.” He added with a genuine sigh before giving his friend a little push. “Now, be a man and get over there.” He ordered giving the taller man another shove. “Make me proud.”

Edge inhaled, and then exhaled. The little twerp was right, he could do this. Drawing his shoulders up, he walked confidently up to Willow.

“Here, let me get that,” He said reaching for the bags she held in her hands.

“No thankyou,” She replied politely, not relinquishing the hold she had on them.

“You sure… I don’t mind.”

Willow stopped in her tracks to look up at the man who had been following her around like a faithful little puppy.

“I’m sure,” She repeated reaching out to pat him on the arm.

Edge’s smile lit up his face at her touch. That was the first time they had made physical contact since she had walked down the stairs of the Hyperion hotel and back into his life. And she had been the one to touch ‘Him’, which had to be a good sign if ever he saw one.

“Thankyou though,” She said before turning to follow in Buffy’s wake as they continued to peruse the clothing stands, only to pause mid turn to cast him a look over her shoulder. “Besides, if I need a hand, I’d ask Buffy.”

Edge didn’t know how to respond to that so he merely raised his hands in defeat before taking the few steps needed to bring him back to Jeff’s side.

“Wow, a whole three seconds,” The younger man stated looking down at his watch. “New record,”

“Shut up.”

**

“You know Will’s he’s really not that bad looking…”

Willow pretended to browse a stand of shirts at the little downtown market they had stopped at.

“…And his butt…”

Willow rolled her eyes as her friend continued.

“…Now ‘that’ is a nice butt.”

“I’m sure Spike would love to hear you speak of another man’s butt,” She countered causing the other girl to grin mischievously.

“Well, when the cats away…”

Willow stared at her friend in horror, and then as if Buffy’s teasing expression had suddenly registered inside her mind she reached out and slapped her friend on the arm.

“You are bad,”

“And you are good, we compliment each other.” The slayer grinned. “Now back to that butt-“

“Can we not talk about Edge’s butt please,” Willow said in hushed tones, and then blushed when her eyes darted to the object of her friend’s musings.

Buffy smiled.

“Who said I was talking about Edge?”

Willow’s blush deepened.

“You like him.”

“I do not.”

Her friend just raised both her brows and smiled a knowing smile before moving off to the next stand.

“I do not.” Willow repeated following after Buffy. “Anyway, I thought you didn’t like them.”

Buffy shrugged.

“I like them as a group fine enough, its just ‘hair of many colours’ I’m having trouble with at the moment.”

“Yeah, well it’s natural for you to want to protect Dawn, but-“

“But if she were here she’d be all over him like a vamp on a blood vessel.” Buffy finished for her.

“Well, no.” Willow said a thoughtful look on her face as she fiddled with the strap of her purse. “I was going to say that Dawn isn’t a little girl anymore. She’s a young woman who has a mind of her own and that if she were here she would have handled the situation accordingly.”

“Translation: she wouldn’t have jumped him in the middle of the Hyperion lobby?”

Willow grinned.

“Oh, no, I’m sure she would have done ‘that’ at some stage, just with a little less of an audience.”

**

“You’re doing fine in the male department,” Cordelia said, nodding to Matt and Christian who stood off to the side looking anything but comfortable in a store full of lacy women’s underwear.

“Yeah, they’re great friends.” Lita replied not bothering to look up from the teeny tiny bra and panty set she held.

“Just friends?” Cordelia asked curiously.

Lita smiled.

“Yep, just friends, don’t get me wrong I love them to death, but when it comes to ‘How to be a boyfriend’ they all suck.” She said putting down the item she held in favour of another and sighed. “I’d be satisfied just meeting a normal guy who doesn’t fall on his head for a living.”

“I’d settle for just a normal guy.” Cordelia whispered softly to herself.

‘But, Cordy, you have never had a normal life, even when you were one of the ignorant. You’re destined to stay at Angel’s side.’ Her mind told her and she smiled realising she kinda liked that idea.

“How did you get into this wrestling thing anyway?” She asked focusing back on Lita.

“Just one of those things I guess,” She shrugged. “I went to a few Indy matches, met a guy there who was taking names and I thought ‘What the hell’, jotted my name down and the rest is history.” She sent Cordelia a sideways stare. “You’re boss seems pretty protective of you,” She continued nudging Cordelia with her shoulder.

“Yep, that’s Angel… can’t rest unless he saves me at least once every 24 hours.”

“Saves?”

Cordelia waved her hand, brushing off the question.

“Long story,” She said starting to make her way towards the exit to find the others who still browsed the stands outside.

Lita followed.

“You’ve changed, Cor.” She mused. “City life must be agreeing with you.”

“Thanks for reminding me how much of a bitch I was when we were growing up.” Cordelia replied with a laugh.

“Oh, that wasn’t the change I was talking about,” Lita said her own cheeky smile peeking through, although she tried to keep her expression serious. “I don’t think there’s actually a cure for bitchiness.”

Cordelia laughed again and reached out to poke her cousin in the side. “Remind me again why we only met up every other year?”

“You’re such an easy target now,” Lita said with an ear to ear grin. “You never use to be. You use to be quite cruel in fact, especially to that boy, oh what’s his name…” Her expression became thoughtful.

“Xander?”

Lita’s eyes widened in recognition.

“Yes, Xander, that’s it. Whatever happened to him?”

“He’s still in Sunnydale, works in construction. We are actually really good friends now. We even dated for a while.”

“You’re joshing me!” Lita exclaimed. “You dated a guy who you teased and tormented because he hung around with that quirky red-“ Her eyes flew to Willow. “Oh my god!” She exclaimed again. “You’re friends with the quirky red head too!”

“Well, she’s still quirky,” Cordelia laughed. “But she’s a very powerful ally now and one of my best friends.” She added coming to Willow’s defence. “I’m surprised you didn’t notice it before.”

“She certainly has changed, although she still has that little girl innocence about her and has one of my best friends in gag a mode.” Lita added softly as she stood in the doorway and watched Edge follow a few paces behind the redhead.

“Gee, Li,” Cordelia continued. “You haven’t seen me in ages, yet all you seem to remember are my faults.”

“That’s not all I remember,” Lita replied smugly. “Now we come to the real change in the Cordelia Chase standing right here in front of me and the Cordelia Chase I remember.”

“And that change would be?”

“Shopping,”

“Shopping?”

“Yep, shopping, we have been shopping for over two hours and you haven’t brought a thing.”

**

“You’re staring.”

“So,” Matt said in reply. “I’m single and from what I’ve seen this morning, I’m assuming ‘She’s’ single too.”

“Dude, assumptions are the root of all evil.”

“So are blonde Canadians.”

Christian smirked.

“Yeah, but at least we’re a damn good root.”

Matt sent his friend a disgusted look.

“You’re a shocker, you know that.” He said before focusing again on the tiny bundle of joy that bounced from display stand to display stand. “You’d think she’d never been shopping before.”

“I thought you came here for the cousin?”

Matt blushed slightly embarrassed at his thoughts piror to meeting Cordelia and her friends.

That indeed had been the plan and Lita’s cousin was beyond beautiful as were the little redhead and the tough blonde, but more then he had cared to admit he had caught himself seeking out the quirky home on the range girl who had introduced herself as Fred.

**

Part 13

**

Sunnydale…

Dawn stood and stared around at the emptiness that was the Summers kitchen, she hated coming home to an empty house. Dropping her bag to the floor she hastily kicked it under the kitchen table.

The dull muffled tones of the basement TV floated up through the closed basement door.

“Well, at least I’m not totally alone.” She said to herself taking the few steps needed to reach the basement door before pulling it open just enough to stick her head through the doorway.

“I’m home!” She called down the stairway, waiting until she heard Xander’s gruff ‘Okay’ before shutting the door again.

“Well,” she turned to lean back on the closed door. “It’s nice to see his mood has changed.” She mumbled sarcastically.

Walking back to the counter she picked up the phone and punched in a number.

“Hey, An,” She said after a few moments. “I have a tonne of stuff to finish before the faculty will let me graduate so I came straight home, is that okay?”

She cringed and held the phone away from her ear as Anya went into this whole verbal spiel about what had happened the last time she was left home alone.

Only when the sound of Anya’s voiced ceased to screech at her through the receiver did she put it back to her ear.

“Its okay, An, Xander’s here… Yes, I promise to stay here until you come back… Thanks Anya… Bye.”

She let forth a collective sigh once the receiver had been returned to its cradle.

“I swear she is getting more and more like Buffy…” Dawn grumbled pulling open a kitchen draw and rifling through it until she found what she was looking for.

Her gaze darted back to the closed basement door and she smiled. If ever there was a cure for the blues it was definitely her mother’s double coated choc caramel brownies with fudge icing!

**

“God… my aching feet,”

“You’re aching feet?” Edge lifted his head up from the table top it rested on. “I’ve got blisters on my blisters.”

Jeff chuckled.

“You both knew we came here with the sole intent of going shopping with Lita and her cousin, you should have worn sensible shoes like she said.”

“You should have worn sensible shoes,” His older brother mocked. “The days no where near over,” He continued to complain. “How am I supposed to impress Fred if I’m walking around like gimpy stimpy?”

“I think you impressed her already when you brought her that ice cream cone.” Jeff replied giving his brother a double thumbs up.

“And the fries and the fairy floss,” Christian added admiring the view that was Fred bouncing in excitement at the other girls forcing Willow into a changing room and then proceeded to chuck garments over the top of the door. “And that was before lunch.” He exclaimed his eyes coming back to the other men seated with him. “Where does she put it all?”

Matt glared.

Christian cringed.

“What I do?” He asked.

“Stop eye balling the woman I want.” The elder Hardy declared rather forcibly.

“I wasn’t eye balling her,” Christian replied in his defence. “I just happened to be looking ‘There’…” He nodded in the direction of the changing rooms. “…And ‘She’ just happened to be there. Totally coincidental I assure you, besides Anya has ruined me for all other women. There’s no one else I want but my sweet Anya.”

“Oh, what’s that I hear?”

The four men seated around the table looked up to see Lita standing only a few feet away with her hand held up to her ear.

“Why, it’s violins,” She continued in mock astonishment before reaching out to slap Christian upside the head. “You sap!”

“Ow!” He grumbled rubbing at the now sore spot her hand had made contact with. “Gee, Li, private conversation here.”

She rolled her eyes.

“Like I care,” She replied slapping him upside the head again.

“Hey!”

“Maybe I should go inform Buffy of the topic of your ‘private’ conversation.”

“No!” All four men replied in unison.

She threw her head back and laughed at there panicked expressions.

“Well, well, well… I never thought I’d see the day where all four of you were afraid of a little girl.”

“We’re not afraid,” Christian stated puffing out his chest.

“That’s right,” Jeff added. “We’re just very, very… careful.”

The others nodded in agreement causing the tall red head to roll her eyes yet again.

“Whatever.”

The four men watched as there friend sauntered off back towards the women’s changing rooms.

Edge allowed his head to fall back to the table with a thump.

‘This was going to be one very, very long day.’

**

Part 14

**

“Are they back yet?”

Wesley lifted the book he’d been reading to hide the grin that spread across his face.

“Do you really want me to answer that?” He replied closing his book and laying it in front of him on his desk before indicating for Angel to take a seat.

Angel played with the hem of his shirt, an almost embarrassed expression lighting his eyes and Wesley would have believed it was if it wasn’t for the lack of colour in Angel’s always pale cheeks.

He sighed taking pity on his friend.

“I’m sure she’s okay, she’s perfectly safe with Buffy and Willow.”

The vampire kept his gaze on the chair arm his fingers were incessantly tapping on. He knew Wesley was right. Struth! ‘Wesley’ knew Wesley was right! If he didn’t he wouldn’t of said it even to appease a worried vampire. And worried he was not that Buffy and Willow wouldn’t look out for Cordelia, he knew they would and were quite capable to if the need arose, but more for what could ‘develop’ between Cordelia and one of the four men who had accompanied her cousin.

He shifted uncomfortably in his chair, then shifted again before getting up from the chair altogether to pace the room causing Wesley to raise his brows.

‘Cordy would never fall for one of those muscle types…’ He told himself, flexing his own arms as he paced. ‘Wasn’t he one of those muscle types?’

“Hideho lovelies!”

Angel looked up from his musings as Lorne breezed into the room in his showy, theatrical manner they had come to expect from the karaoke loving sea breeze lover.

“Why my little cheese muffin,” He said staring straight at Angel. “Aren’t you just a big bucket of apprehension?”

Wesley coughed to hide his chuckle, and then just as quickly cleared his throat when his broad shouldered friend sent him a glare cold enough to freeze boiling water.

“Ah… Lorne, we always enjoy you’re little visits.” He said trying to smile through Angel’s icy stare.

“Well, actually,” Lorne began pulling off his sun glasses, floppy hat and long trench coat to reveal a sky blue suit underneath. “I’m here on business.”

“What’s up?” Angel asked the thought of maybe being able to kill some evil doer or maybe just beat him up a bit suddenly brightening his mood.

“Is the prettier side of Angel Investigations up stairs?”

“No,” Wesley answered. “Cordelia and Fred have taken the day off to go shopping.”

“Oh, well, it seems the PTB have given her the day off too, I had a vision and right in the middle of my Frank Sinatra number, I doubt he’ll ever forgive me-“

“You had a vision?”

“If you want to call it that, I personally thought it was an episode of the love boat-“

“Lorne!”

“Hey, remember harmless green guy with the horns is on your side.”

“Just tell me what you saw,” Angel said coming to stand beside Wesley’s desk where he then proceeded to stare down at Lorne who had seated himself in the very chair Angel had vacated not to long ago.

“Maybe I should start with what I didn’t see, you don’t happen to have a lazy sea breeze in amongst all that O-positive you got on ice do you-“

“Lorne!” Both Angel and Wesley chimed in together.

“Okay, okay… forgive me for being thirsty sheesh!” He sent them an appalled look before continuing. “Strangers will come, athletic… brawny strangers-“

“I knew it!” Angel exploded. “I knew I shouldn’t have let them leave.”

Lorne looked confused.

“Them? Who them?”

But Angel was already out of the office and making his way to the weapons cabinet.

“This morning, Cordelia’s cousin arrived, she’s a female wrestler for the WWE and she arrived with four other male wrestlers in tow.” Wesley explained.

Lorne brightened.

“They’re here already? Good! Well don’t I feel silly.” He said his gaze going heavenward. “Thanks for the heads up.”

“Wait, wait,” Angel said coming back into the room, a hand going to his head as if he’d just developed a migraine. “Why is Cordelia out with these strangers a good thing?” He asked bringing his hand back down to his side.

The sound of Wesley clearing his throat and the fact that both he and Lorne were staring at him with raised brows had the vampire retracting his words.

“I meant… ‘Them’, Cordelia, Fred, Willow and Buffy…”

“Yes, we know that’s what you meant.” Wesley replied dryly.

“You have nothing to worry about cupcake, the girls… ‘Your’ girl especially is safe with them.”

“Then why are you here?”

“Well duh,” He exclaimed pointing to his own head then to Angel. “Vision, champion… isn’t this how it works?”

Lorne rolled his beady red eyes and shook his head.

“I knew I should have started with what I didn’t see.” He grumbled. “What I was about to say before droopy brow here went all ‘Must save Cordelia’ on me is that this vision I had wasn’t your normal demon-y monster type feeding on the innocent kinda vision.”

Wesley stepped forward totally engrossed in what Lorne had to say.

“It seems your pals in Sunnydale are deserving of some happiness and the PTB have decided to grant them some.”

Angel’s brows met in the middle while Wesley’s mouth dropped open.

“You had an R-rated vision!” He exclaimed.

“Oh please, seeing you humans go at it is not my idea of fun. Let’s just say they have this coming and leave it at that.”

“But what about Cordelia?” Angel said before he could stop himself.

Lorne shrugged.

“In my opinion Cordelia is deserving of more then her share of happiness too, just not from any of the new comers… you see her future has already been written as ‘Your’ link to the PTB.”

“And you got that from your vision?” Angel asked softly.

“No,” Lorne replied. “I got that from months and months of watching you two together, its better then the Young and the Restless.”

“We’re home!”

“Well speak of the devil,” Lorne grinned up at Angel and Wesley as they both made there way out of Wesley’s office at the sound of Cordelia’s voice.

“Don’t worry about me,” He said as the door swung shut behind them. “I’ll make myself scarce.”

**

Part 15

**

Sunnydale…

“Why isn’t this working?”

Dawn exclaimed looking down at the recipe again. She had followed it exactly as it was written, then why was her brownie mixture more like brownie soup?

She ran her finger down the list of ingredients again trying to see where she had gone wrong.

1 cup of flour, 2 eggs, 2 Tbsp butter, 1 cup sugar, 7 cups milk, 1 cup chocolate…

She frowned, that’s what she had in her mixing bowl.

“Argh!” She cried out in frustration setting the bowl down on the counter only to cry out again when she knocked a baking tray off the counter, in so doing her clumsy actions caused the mixing bowl to tip… all down the front of her jeans.

Tears sprang to her eyes as she looked around the kitchen, it looked like the school cafeteria after a full on food fight. Brownie mixture covered her, flour covered everything else and she could feel chocolate chips scrunching underneath her feet.

‘God, what a diaster!’

Sinking down to the floor she drew her knee’s up. Who was she kidding she knew the real reason why she was in such a sucky mood. Why she was ‘still’ in a sucky mood.

Jeff Hardy, or more specifically her encounter with Jeff Hardy.

He hadn’t been like she thought he’d be at all, he had been rude, snarky, inattentive, disrespectful… all the things the Jeff Hardy she had idolised on screen was not… and she had kept a ‘Devil may care’ countenance upon her face the whole time whilst in his company. Stripping her bedroom of everything to do with him hadn’t helped one bit. She was still as crazy about him now as she was before she had met him.

She let her forehead fall to her knees. She wasn’t here attempting and failing to cheer Xander up, she was here attempting and failing to cheer herself up.

A sob rose in her throat and soon she was blubbering on the kitchen floor like the little girl she never got to be.

“Dawn?”

Her head jerked up, her hands immediately flying to her face to wipe away the tell tale tears and then gave up when they still continued to slip unheeded from her eyes.

She felt him sit down beside her, felt his arm wrap around her and his hand gently ease her head to his shoulder.

“Xander,” She whispered brokenly as he stroked her hair.

This was the Xander she knew, the Xander who shared his cheese rings with only her and let her hold the remote control on video night… the Xander she remembered. Not the callous, bitter Xander he had become after he lost his eye.

“Shh…” He cooed his hand continuing to brush through her hair as she cried.

“You know,” He began after her sobs had reduced ti a tiny hiccup.

“The term ‘Crying over spilt brownie mix’ was never meant to be taken literally.”

She smiled. Her smile staying as she pulled away from him to wipe away the last of her tears.

“Why are you upset Dawnie?” He asked quietly. “Besides the obvious,” He added looking around the kitchen.

She shook her head.

“It’s silly,”

“Yeah, that’s what I thought… only something silly could bring you to tears in the middle of a kitchen.”

She smiled again.

“Have you ever dreamed about meeting someone you thought was the epitome of everything you ever wanted in a man and then had those dreams crash down around you when you finally did meet?”

“Not really…” He replied with a chuckle.

“Well in your case the gender would be changed of course,” She explained nudging him with her shoulder.

“Well, in that case yes…” His words trailed off and she waited for him to continue.

“And…” She pressed when he didn’t.

“And… you know the rest, Anya and I weren’t meant to be.” He replied simply.

“The right woman will come along, you’ll see.”

“With this?” He pointed at the patch that covered his eye. “Not likely.”

She chuckled and he soon joined her.

“What about you? Who crushed your dreams?”

She shrugged.

“Jeff Hardy.”

His brows rose.

“I know…” She rolled her eyes. “The Jeff Hardy I’ve dreamed about and drooled over for so long is just a gimmick, not the real man, but that didn’t stop me from following his success in the WWE not to mention his person at my very first WWE event like a love sick fool now did it.”

“That depends, how did he respond to you following him around?”

“He ignored me.”

“Oh…”

“Yeah, oh…”

“What a pair we make,” He said getting yo his feet then reaching down to help her up. “And what a mess you’re made.” He added chuckling again.

She sighed.

“I was trying to disguise my unhappiness by curing yours.”

“With brownies?”

She nodded.

“With brownies.”

“Not working for yah hey?” He asked inspecting the recipe.

“Not working times one hundred. I’m a disaster in the kitchen.”

“No your not,” He said nudging her this time. “You just take making brownies to a whole new level.”

She smiled.

“You goof,”

“That’s more like it,” He grinned nudging her again. “Now let’s go through the recipe and see if we can pickup where you went wrong.”

They both leaned over the recipe and Dawn read out the ingredients.

“1 cup flour, 2 eggs, 2 Tbsp butter, 1 cup sugar, 7 cups milk-“

“Stop there,” He said picking up the recipe so he could peer closely at it.

“Dawn, that’s not 7 cups of milk,” He began pressing his lips together to staunch his amusement.

She peered closer and Xander continued.

“That’s 1 cup of milk.”

Her mouth fell open.

“I am such a duffus!”

**

Part 16

**

“But why would Lorne see them in Sunnydale?”

Angel shifted uncomfortably and was thankful Wesley’s desk stood between him and Buffy. He coughed.

“He… ah… didn’t say exactly,” He lied, “It took him by surprise too… not the vision itself, but that the Power’s That Be would use him as… you know… a messenger.”

He swallowed at the look the Slayer sent him.

“Gee, Cordelia is really bringing you outta your shell.” She said getting to her feet to pace back and forth across the room. “Not that that’s a bad thing, hey I think its great, but the question still remains – why would Lorne see Lita and her friends in Sunnydale?”

“Sunnydale isn’t really a place tourists flock to,” Willow added. “And it’s too small for a company that big to put on a show. It’s hard enough trying to fill a high school gym let alone a whole arena.”

“Exactly,” Buffy agreed. “They’re up to something.”

Angel swallowed again.

“There’s only one thing to do,” She continued. “Until we know if these guys are going to be a threat or not we have to keep one step ahead of them.”

“Meaning?” Willow asked her look alone telling her friend that she already knew what Buffy had in mind, but not wanting to believe it until her friend has spoken the words.

“We invite them to come back with us.”

“Just like that? Are you forgetting that there connection is with Cordelia and not us?”

“LIta’s connection yes, but in his vision Lorne saw them in ‘Sunnydale’, not LA… and I can think of three possible connections for them being there. God, I wish I had of said no to Dawn at the beginning.”

Willow shook her head.

“These guys live life in the fast lane, different city every night, different girl every night. I doubt they even thought about us before today.”

Buffy let out a deep sigh.

“Until something else arises it’s the only lead we have to follow.”

**

“You sure you want to do this?”

Matt sent Fred a grin before turning back to Christian.

“Absolutely,” He replied clapping the other man on the back. “Just make me look good.”

Christian sent a wink to the Edge and Jeff over Matt’s shoulder.

“Sure buddy, whatever you say.”

“Okay.” Jeff said stepping between the two men. “I want a nice clean fight, no hitting below the belt and please keep all your body parts off the ref. Are we ready ladies?”

Fred giggled and Matt’s face darkened at his younger brother’s humour.

“Ready.” He grumbled.

“Ready.” Christian added.

“Okay,” Jeff said raising his hands. “Best outta three falls. Ding, ding, ding!”

Lita rolled her eyes as Jeff’s voice imitation of a bell sent Cordelia and Fred into another bout of giggles.

“Now you see why they are just ‘friends’.” Lita said in hushed tones to the other girls.

“Standing right here,” Came the deep voice of Edge from behind the girls.

“Yeah,” Lita began sending the other girls another look. “…Your point?”

His look was deadpan.

“Anyway,” Lita continued. “We know your only standing here because it gives you a good view of the door Willow disappeared through, therefore you’ll see exactly when she comes out.”

A red tint made its way up Edge’s neck and he turned away.

Lita chuckled.

“Damn, I love it when I’m right.” She said her chuckle turning into a laugh when the office door did indeed open and the redhead walked out followed by Buffy and Angel.

“What’s going on guys?” Buffy asked her eyes on the two men rolling around on the floor.

“It’s supposed to be a mock wrestling match.” Cordelia answered with a shock.

Both Christian and Matt paused and turned to her with raised brows.

“Mock?” They both said in unison.

“Oh,” The Slayer replied totally ignoring both men. “It maybe just me but I thought it would be more oh I don’t know… wrestly?”

Again the two men paused, but this time Christian used it to his advantage and brought Matt down to the floor, winning the first fall and then got straight back into it as soon as Matt was up on his feet.

“Wrestlers.” Lita muttered with a shake of her head.

“How long are you in LA?” Buffy asked always one to get right to the point.

“Just the weekend,” Lita replied looking to Edge for confirmation.

He nodded.

“We’re back on the road on Monday.” She continued.

“How about spending it in Sunnydale, with us?” Buffy suggested outright causing Willow to take a hurried step forward.

“That is… if you already didn’t have plans-“

“I’m in.”

Willow didn’t need to turn around to know whose voice that was.

“I’m in too.”

“And me.”

Lita laughed at there responses came out one after the other.

“I believe ‘I’ was the one being invited.”

“Aw, Li… you wouldn’t go without us would you?” Jeff asked turning his puppy dog eyes on her, which only made her laugh harder.

“The invite is open to you all of course.” Buffy said looking at them all in turn.

“We accept thanks.” Lita addressed Buffy before turning back to Cordelia to whisper. “I’d never here the end of it if I didn’t.”

“Yes!” Matt exclaimed getting up off the floor having just scored the next fall before offering a bemused Christian a hand up. “What’s the score little brother?”

Jeff shrugged.

“I dunno,” He replied causing Matt to roll his eyes.

“Well make it up.” He grumbled.

“Okay, fine. It’s a draw, next fall wins.”

The elder Hardy shook his head.

“And you call yourself my brother.”

Christian took advantage of his opponent’s lack of attention by hooking him between the legs causing him to keel back awkwardly. They all heard a crack followed by a cry of pain and Christian immediately jumped up, a worried look on his face as he hovered over Matt.

“Buddy, you okay?”

Matt groaned in pain.

“I think my arm is broken.”

“Let me see,” Cordelia said kneeling down beside him.

He cried out again when she touched his arm and she rolled her eyes.

“You big baby.”

She could tell he was in a lot of pain and she quirked a brow when he put on a brave face as Fred – bless her heart – kneeled down beside him and took his hand in hers.

“I’ll put a splint on it,” Cordelia continued. “But we are gonna have to get you to a hospital. Stab wounds, claw marks and bullet holes I can handle, but I’m lost when it comes to broken bones.” She turned to Buffy and Willow. “This may take a while.”

“I don’t want to hold you guys up,” Matt piped up. “You all go on without me. I’ll wait here… if that’s okay with you.” He added looking at Fred.

“Of course it’s okay.” Cordelia replied before Fred could even open her mouth.

“You sure Matt? I don’t mind staying-“

“Nah, Li,” He cut in. “I’ll be in good hands.” He continued, his eyes following Fred as she got up to fetch the first aid kit.

Lita laughed and nudged Edge with her shoulder.

“The things ‘you’ guys will do for love.”

**

“How is he?”

Wesley asked not looking up from the book he was reading as Angel walked into his office.

“He’s fine Fred and Cordy are with him.”

“Good, good… and the others got off okay?”

“Yeah,”

“Then why are you brooding?”

“I’m not,”

Wesley looked up then and sent him a ‘yes you are’ look.

“Okay, maybe a little,” The vampire conceded.

“You have nothing to worry about, you heard Lorne, they are meant to go to Sunnydale… and you know Buffy wouldn’t take them all in if she didn’t approve…”

His words trailed off as a thought struck him.

“You did tell Buffy exactly what Lorne saw in his vision, right?”

“Not… everything…” Was Angel’s reply.

“Angel! Why not?”

The vampire sent him a pointed look.

“Would you have told Buffy the PTB’s were sending those guys to Sunnydale specifically for pleasure, knowing which one the rainbow kid had his eye on?”

Wesley’s brows rose in realisation and he straightened to his full height.

“I see your point.”

**

Part 17

**

“There’s something oddly calming about arriving back in Sunnydale and the first thing you see is a cemetery.”

“That’s a very creepy thought,” Lita remarked following Willow’s gaze out the car window to the head stones and tombs that marked many final resting places.

“Creeyp yes,” Buffy nodded. “But true nonetheless.”

“Are we there yet?”

Lita rolled her eyes and sent a questioning look Willow’s way, in which the smaller red head responded by holding up three fingers.

‘Thank you.’ Lita mouthed back before turning to face the guys who sat cramped up in the back seat. “Yes Jeffie…” She said aloud her tone that of a pre-school teacher talking to her pupil. “…we’re nearly there.”

He smiled and made a point of sticking his thumb in his mouth before leaning his head on Christian’s shoulder and closing his eyes.

“Get off me!” Christian exclaimed giving the younger Hardy a shove.

Jeff’s grin only got bigger, but soon his attention went to the house there car had pulled up outside of.

He couldn’t believe that he would be seeing Dawn again, maybe even picking up where they had left off - without all the rudeness on his part of course - And maybe… no, not maybe… ‘most definitely’ a lot of alone time with Dawn. His line of thought though came to an abrupt halt when his gaze met Buffy’s. His excitement thinned.

‘Well they could… if Dawn didn’t have an older sister who could kick his ass.’

“Hurry up, Hardy,” Christian said giving Jeff another shove, this time to get his butt out of the car.

Edge was already out unloading the trunk and the girls were making there way up the path to the front porch. He took the time to watch as Willow chatted away to Lita and Buffy. There was something about her that called out to him, he had heard that call the first time he had seen her sitting alone amongst a crowd of WWE fans, of course he had no idea at the time that she didn’t know who he was which was why he had used Christian and Jericho’s ploy as a way to approach her without alerting too much attention to himself. And it had worked too. Right up until she had found out he was an actual wrestler and not a fan and not only that, but a wrestler who had used a disguise in which to gain an advantage.

In hindsight he didn’t blame her for giving him the cold shoulder now, but damn it she had slipped through his fingers once before, she wouldn’t a second time. Fate had put her in his path again… and far be it for him to question what fate had in store for them both. He had a whole weekend to win her over and by golly he was going to succeed!

He smiled at his silliness and happily continued to smile as he followed Jeff and Christian up the path.

‘After all…’ He mused as he watched Willow disappear into the house. ‘…it was always better the second time around.’

**

Christian hurried up the path after the girls.

If it had of been him, he would have left the damn bags where they bloody well sat in the damn trunk!

He had always told Edge his gentlemanly ways were more a curse then a blessing. And Edge heading straight for the trunk to unload there bags was hard solid proof of that curse because of course ‘He’ would have to follow in his older brothers damn footsteps. Damn it all!

He had serious kissage time to make up for and the perfect partner for that was right inside that house.

Christian was the first of the males through the front door and he didn’t waste time dropping the bags he had carried and walking straight up to a very shocked Anya and to everyone’s surprise without so much as a verbal greeting, Christian pulled her against him and wasted no time in sticking his tongue down her throat!

**

Part 18

AN: Back tracks a little here and there so we get a look at everyone’s POV.

**

“Buffy and Red are back,”

Anya, who had been about to nod off on the floor space in front of the telly perked up at Spike’s words, her eyes going immediately to the front door.

“How do you know?” She asked when Spike’s attention remained focused on the TV screen. And then with the same breath, “Never mind,” and instead got up to go look out the window for herself. Sure enough there was Willow’s car pulling into the curb. “They’re not alone,” She said when more then two forms emerged from the car. And then, “Oh my…” and then she was leaning down trying to nudge Dawn awake as she slept with her head on Xander’s shoulder.

“Leave her,” Xander whispered stilling Anya’s hand. “Let her sleep.”

“But she’s gonna want to… Oh never mind…” She said her frustration taking precedence over her need to tell the sleeping girl who exactly it was following Buffy and Willow up the path.

Her eyes latched onto the man with the long blonde hair and her spirits soared right up until he got closer and she realised it wasn’t who she’d thought it’d be.

“Hmph!” She turned around from the window and sank back down on the couch in a huff.

“What?” Spike said getting up to take her place at the window.

“They didn’t bring me anything,” She pouted even as the front door opened and everyone filed in. She was in such a bother that she didn’t even see the man who pushed through the girls at the front until he was standing in front of her up close and very personal. The next thing she knew his lips were crushing hers and even if she hadn’t recognised him by his looks, she sure recognised his roving tongue.

“You’ve had a hair cut,” Was all she could think of to say when he finally lifted his head and grinned down at her.

“Hair cut…” He repeated his voice just as dreamy as hers.

Anya was the first to come to her senses so it seemed to everyone else who was watching when in the next instant she had grabbed her bag, thanked Buffy and Willow for her gift and pulled Christian out the door.

“Don’t worry,” Willow said when Edge made to follow his brother.

“She’ll look after him.”

“Yeah, but who’s gonna look after her.”

Willow giggled and Edge found his brotherly concern float away with the sound.

Buffy shook her head, rolled her eyes and beckoned them all into the lounge where Spike still stood at the window behind the couch and Xander still sat there with the sleeping Dawn nestled against his side.

“Xander, Spike-“

“You’re Jeff Hardy,” Spike exclaimed his eyes incredulous as he moved forward. “Like… Wow!”

Buffy rolled her eyes again.

“I knew introductions would be a waste of time, why do I bother?” She asked turning to Willow who merely shrugged back at her.

Jeff smiled half heartedly at the blonde man in front of him, but his attention went behind the man to the couch where Dawn – His! - Dawn was sleeping in the arms of another man. A man who cocked a brow at him when he was caught staring.

“I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m beat.” Buffy began knowing full well bed was the last place she’d be heading to. “Guys you can all bunk down in the basement.”

The words were going in but they weren’t registering in his brain just yet, he caught something about Lita having Buffy’s room and hot chocolate, but his eyes never left the sofa or the two people on it. Not even when the man got up and tenderly picked Dawn up in his arms muttering something about tucking her in - Tucking her in! - And his eyes stayed on the man even as he made his way up the stairs.

**

‘Jeff Hardy. No wonder Anya wanted Dawn to take a look out the window.’ Xander thought as he and the other man locked stares, a feeling of protectiveness welling up inside him after what Dawn had told him today, although he had to wonder what her reaction would be had she been awake. It seemed strange seeing the man here and now in the flesh obviously smarting over finding Dawn in his arms. Hmmm… he might just play on it to show the other man he couldn’t trifle with Dawnie’s feelings and not expect some pay back in return. Xander got up then, gathering Dawn up into his arms as he did so. Let him think what he liked, he told himself.

“I’ll take Dawn upstairs and tuck her in.” He said aloud.

“Thanks Xander,” Buffy replied as he walked passed her.

He inwardly smiled when he turned and still found the other man’s eyes on him carrying Dawn and in doing so bumped into someone causing his attention to swing back around to find his gaze locking onto a tall red head. He paused for a minute his brows drawing together as they stared at one another before he broke the connection and continued up the stairs.

“Why don’t we all follow Xander’s example and turn in,” Buffy suggested feeling dead on her feet from there long drive. “Spike you wanna show the guys the basement?”

He shrugged.

“This way lads,” He said started out of the room only to pause at Buffy’s side. “Need me to come up and massage those aching back muscles and…” He stared lecherously down at her and leaned closer. “…any other muscles…”

Buffy blushed a deep red and punched Spike in the shoulder causing him to stagger back.

Spike chuckled.

“Nice to know you missed me too.” He said and then turned to the two waiting men. “Okay boys, this way,” He said leading the way to the basement explaining to there two male guests that in this house the females always got to be on top.

**

Part 19

**

She stretched lazily in her slumber willing the feeling of awake ness away as she languished in the fuzziness that was her dream, but inevitably her eyes fluttered open and she was met with the pristine white and blue walls that formed her room.

She felt the sun streaming down on her through the blinds and she just knew that today was going to be the perfect day ever. With that thought in mind she threw the covers back and jumped out of the bed, not bothering with her robe seeing as Spike and Xander wouldn’t get up till after lunch sometime after a night of patrolling so that just left her and Anya and today she would treat the older woman to breakfast in bed - Providing Anya wasn’t up already, she mused giggling to herself as she skipped down the stairs and entered the kitchen only to stop and freeze stiller then the statue David as soon as her slippered feet met the tiled floor of the kitchen.

She saw his bare back first - Strong and lean, her eyes travelling down to where his waist disappeared into the top of his jeans before going up again to his multi coloured locks.

It couldn’t be him, not here in there kitchen, but then he turned around and she saw herself mirrored in his intense gaze and then nothing.

The next thing she knew she was on a hard cold floor and someone was lightly tapping her cheek.

“Dawn? Dawn can you hear me?”

She opened her eyes to see a hazy form hovering over her.

“Xander?” She said managing a weak smile as she struggled into a sitting position. “I had the weirdest dream that Jeff Hardy was standing shirtless in our kit-“

She didn’t continue. She couldn’t. Not once the haze cleared and Jeff

Hardy was indeed standing shirtless in there kitchen!

Only not standing this time, she corrected herself. He was now kneeling right next to her, touching her, his face inches from hers. He was right in her personal bubble and she was right in his - They were sharing personal bubble space!

She quickly turned away so she could take a few much needed deep breaths before she could even think of looking up at him again, but when she did and he smiled down at her everything that had happened - There first meeting, her heartbreak, the removal of all things Jeff Hardy from her room, the long bitch session with Xander - Everything just magically flew out the window.

**

“...and that’s how I wound up in your kitchen.”

Dawn smiled as Jeff ended his explanation of how and why he was in her kitchen.

“Wow small world huh?”

“Very.”

They were both sitting with there legs crossed up on the kitchen counter, a plate of peanut butter pancakes sitting between them.

“I must say though,” Jeff continued. “Your sister hates me.”

“No, Buffy doesn’t have a hateful bone in her body, if anything she’s just being the protective older sister.”

Jeff wasn’t convinced though and said so.

“No.” He shook his head remembering the cold stares not to mention her jumping him in the middle of the Hyperion lobby. “She definitely hates me.”

He was surprised when her hand came forward to give his a squeeze, but not as surprised as she was when his hand latched onto hers refusing to let go.

“I’m sorry.” Was all he said.

She smiled half heartedly and lowered her eyes to the counter.

“I know,” She replied suddenly at a lost as to what to do with her hands. She settled for using them to pluck imaginary pancake crumbs up from the counter. “I’m sorry too.”

He frowned.

“What for? You didn’t do anything - In fact you were the adult that night.”

“If you want the truth my tantrum didn’t start until I got home,” She confessed with a grin. “In fact Xander and I even bitched about you yesterday.”

His frown deepened.

“You and he aren’t - That is... he’s not...”

Dawn looked at him curiously. Did he think there was something going on between her and Xander?

As if!

She had to fight down the urge to laugh right there and then. Oh she loved Xander alright, but not like that! Please, he was and forever will be the older brother she never had. But Jeff wasn’t to know that.

She opened her mouth - Paused for dramatic effect - And then closed it again.

She had really been hurt by his actions at there first meeting, but only she knew how deeply and she had made a promise to herself not to let anyone ever hurt her like that again - Even him. And though she may have forgiven him for that night she hadn’t yet forgotten. If he wanted her - And judging by the way his thumb was slowly stroking her inner palm he did - Well then he was gonna have to work for it!

She smiled as her plan started forming.

“Boyfriend?” She said finished what he obviously could not.

He grinned sheepishly.

She returned his grin and swung her legs around to slide off the counter only to return a few minutes later with two glasses of chocolate milk.

“No,” She answered once she was back in her crossed legs position on the counter. “He’s not my boyfriend...”

He grinned again, in fact his cheeks were starting to hurt he was grinning so much, but to calmly sit there and act like her answer hadn’t pleased him seemed almost impossible to him. What he felt right now far surpassed the word ‘Pleased’ and he had the sneaky suspicion she knew it, but that dang surprise element she had going on was working over time and all his hopes fled when she added,

“...But I’m working on it.”

**

Part 20

**

She was freezing!

‘Why am I so cold?’ She asked herself reaching for the covers that weren’t there and feeling the coarse roughness of the floor rug instead.

Floor rug?

Opening one eye she saw she was curled up on the floor at the end of her bed, the blanket she had covered herself with the night before lay in a pile at the end of the rug and then her brain started to work.

That’s right, she had given her bed to there guest.

She tentatively sat up and peeked over the edge of the bed to see Lita’s mass of red hair fanning the crisp whiteness of ‘Her’ pillow.

‘That should be my hair.’ She grumbled inwardly. Why did she have to be so damn nice all the time? Sighing she figured it’d be a waste of time trying to get back to sleep so she may as well be first in line for the shower.

Thinking of the hot spray of water heating her now chilled body brought a smile to her face and she hurriedly shot to her feet grabbed her robe and exited the room, the door closing without a sound as it shut behind her.

She was still in her daze as she opened the bathroom door and walked in automatically removing her robe and hanging it up on the hook behind her. It wasn’t until she had turned around again and pulled the strap of her camisole down over her shoulder that she realised she wasn’t alone.

Edge stood there all glistening and shiny and taut and NAKED! And he seemed just as shell shocked as she was – She didn’t know how long they stood like that just staring, but she knew it was long enough for her to get a good look – A very ‘good’ look. And then the Willow she knew and loved kicked in and she gasped before turning on her heel and fleeing the room.

She vaguely heard her name being called, but right at that point in time she just wanted to be gone from that all too tiny bathroom.

“Willow? Willow what’s wrong?”

When Buffy had arrived Willow had no idea because the image of ‘him’ naked was still playing havoc with her senses so instead of the reply she was hoping to extract to ease her friends mind there came a gargled stutter instead.

“Again, this time in English,” Buffy said stalling Willow’s efforts to brush passed her with a well placed hand on the wall in front of the red head.

“I… ah… bathroom… and he…” Her eyes widened and she let forth a deep longing breath as again her mind conjured up the image of his body. But she didn’t need to say anymore as the bathroom door opened and Edge seemed about to rush out clad only in a towel – And Willow’s towel at that – Only to pause when he saw Buffy standing next to Willow in the hallway. Her brow quirking up in amusement as Willow’s hand shot up to cover her eyes.

“Oh…” Buffy said enjoying not only the view of Edge’s body, but also her friends reaction to it as the man in question stepped back red faced into the bathroom and shut the door. “…So that’s why.”

**

Edge never saw much of Willow for the remainder of the morning, she always seemed to be around – Just not anywhere where he was apparently. And Jeff seemed to be in a snit about something. Edge didn’t know why – At least Dawn was talking to him and not running around like a headless chook whenever he was in hearing distance. And to make things worse Christian had sent him a text message telling him it’d be totally okay if they ‘Accidentally’ left him behind.

It just wasn’t fair!

Didn’t Willow like him or something? He asked himself and then quickly dismissed the question. The way she had looked at him that morning screamed that she liked him – Maybe even more then liked. And he more then liked her.

So what the hell was the problem?

“Xander! Xander are you down there?”

The sound of Dawn’s voice calling down from the kitchen seemed to put Jeff in more of a snit and Edge watched as the younger man huffed, his knuckles turning white with the forced grip he had on the notebook he was furiously scribbling in.

Xander wasn’t there of course, he and Spike had left sometime during the night and hadn’t returned, but she wasn’t to know that. It wasn’t long before they heard her soft foot falls on the wooden stairs.

“Everyone decent?” She joked as she came forward.

“Why doesn’t Willow like me?”

As soon as the words had left his mouth his fingers itched to reach into his mouth, yank out his tongue and tie it in a knot.

To his amazement she smiled, but it wasn’t a smile where she was laughing at him. It was more a sincere kind, like she understood and he suddenly remembered how like an adult she could be. No, he corrected himself. She was already an adult and acted like one when you least expected it. He shot a look at Jeff to see he hadn’t missed it either, but again that only seemed to add to his bad mood more then lesson it so Edge knew that Dawn or the ‘Lack’ of Dawn was the cause of Jeff’s ill ease.

“She likes you,” Dawn was saying now.

“She doesn’t act like she does.” He replied.

“Yeah, I guess she doesn’t, but I do know she likes you.” She grinned then and Edge was ready to retract everything he had just thought about this little minx, but then she added. “Trust me – Our Will’s has a crush.”

That brought the smile back to his face, but the fact remained that Willow was still doing everything in her power to stay away from him and then blushed when he realised he had spoken out loud.

“Then do everything in ‘your’ power to get in her way.” Was Dawn’s reply.

Edge looked at her as if he was seeing her for the first time and then he was up on his feet and Dawn was being swung around the room in his arms.

“Thank you.” He said when he set a laughing back on her feet. “If all this turns out well – I’m… I’m… I’m buying you a car!” And then he was off climbing the stairs two at a time.

“Hmmm…” She sighed when the sound of the basement door closing came down to them. “Isn’t love sweet?”

Jeff tore his eyes away from her before she saw the agony he was feeling.

“Yeah sweet.” He said having to force the bitterness from his voice.

“So…” She continued. “Xander not here?”

“Do you see him?” He snapped keeping his eyes on the pages of his notebook so as not to see the hurt he knew must be in her expression, but instead he heard a giggle.

Confusion marred his brow as he looked up, but all he was privy to see was her back as she followed in Edge’s foot steps – Only she mounted them one at a time.

**

Part 21

**

“You know Matt broke an arm – Not a leg.” Angel mentioned to Cordelia as he watched Fred carry a tray up stairs, a task she had been performing ever since there guest had taken up residence in the room across the hall from hers.

“Oh leave her alone,” Cordelia said dismissing Angel’s words. “She’s got a crush and from what I’ve been seeing – Its not one sided.”

“I thought Lorne’s vision said only the Scoobies were gonna get pleasure out of this.” He mumbled more to himself then to her, but she heard him anyway.

“What vision? What are you talking about?”

Wesley who’d been standing by the counter with his head in a book suddenly cleared his throat and moved with a purpose towards his office closing the door quickly behind him. All of which didn’t go unnoticed by the seer.

“Angel…” She said crossing her arms under her breasts. “What’s going on?”

“Ah…” He swallowed. “…Yesterday when you were out…”

“Yeah…” She pressed urging him with her hands to continue.

“Well… Lorne had a vision… a kinda… heated vision involving…” He didn’t continue, rather hoped instead that Cordelia would get the picture. “Certain friends of ours…” He continued when she didn’t. “…And certain friends of your cousin…”

Cordelia’s mouth fell open and a laugh escaped her lips as realisation set in.

“Oh my,” She said her hand going to cover her mouth. “I’m really glad they didn’t send ‘That’ vision my way.” And then her mouth dropped open again. “Or maybe that should be I’m glad ‘I’ didn’t have a starring role…” And then with her next breath. “I didn’t have a starring role did I?”

“No! No…” Angel was quick to reassure her. “Lorne only mentioned the

Scoobies, which is why Fred’s being included in it is a surprise to me.”

“Well all I can say is as long as Fred’s happy – I’m happy.”

Angel couldn’t help but agree. After all as long as his seer was happy – He was happy.

**

“Knock, knock!” Fred said as she walked into Matt’s room. “How is the patient this morning?”

“Fine, now that you’re here.” Matt said sitting up more in the bed. “You know Fred you don’t have to do this. I can come down stairs-“

“I know,” She cut in setting the tray she’d been carrying down on the bed within his reach. “But I like doing this, makes me feel useful.”

“What do you mean?” He asked taking the cup of coffee she held out to him.

She shrugged.

“Everyone has there place here, everyone has a purpose… while poor quirky little Fred is still looking for hers.”

He frowned and opened his mouth to say more, but she chose that moment to stick a piece of toast in his mouth and then all other thoughts fled his mind as she grinned and asked, “So, what shall ‘we’ do today?”

**

Sunnydale…

Edge entered the kitchen via the basement and looked around. No Willow. He walked into the lounge. No Willow. He turned and looked up the stairway pondering wether or not to venture up there again after this morning. Just like Willow had been doing everything possible to avoid him and succeeding amazingly well at it, he had been doing everything possible to avoid Buffy. He turned bright red and high tailed it every time she was within hearing distance.

The phone on the hall table started to ring and he contemplated answering it, but instead looked back up the stairs to when he heard Buffy’s voice and turned to head back towards the kitchen where he knew he could escape down into the basement if she came to answer the phone, but as her words registered in his mind he realised she wasn’t planning on coming down herself – Was only calling out for Willow to answer it.

He looked heavenward and grinned. Seemed fate was back on his side. Opening the hall closet which was conveniently close to the phone he slipped inside leaving the door ajar and waited for the red head to come, which she did a few moments later.

“Hello.” He heard her say when she picked it up. “Hey, Anya… yeah… yeah okay. I’ll let them know.” A pause and then, “Just remember they’re leaving the day after tomorrow. Okay. Bye.” And then she was walking passed him again and didn’t even think on his actions – He just acted.

Opening the door with one hand he snagged her around the waist with the other and pulled her into the cupboard with him. A startled yelp followed by a rushed “Don’t close the door!” Coming too late as the click of the latch closing reached her ears.

**

Jeff watched Dawn sitting on the steps of the back porch from the basements only window. He hadn’t left the basement since there little episode in the kitchen. He knew, he just knew as soon as he walked through the door and seen Dawn snuggled into Xander’s side that his hopes of ‘alone time’ with her would be limited at the most, but not nonexistent as they were now. But then again he had no one to blame but himself on that scene because he had shut himself away down here with only his notebook and a stubby little pencil for company. He wondered what it was she was waiting for, he would see her crane her neck every now and then as if she were expecting someone to walk through the front gate and once or twice he thought he saw her gaze his way, but that he knew could only be his wishful imagination.

“What yah doing?”

So ingrossed in the happenings out in the back yard as he was, the sound of a voice behind him had him tumbling off the chair he had propped up next to the window. He turned to see Lita staring down at him curiously and when she moved forward he reached up a hand thinking she had moved to help him to his feet, but instead she stepped over him and righted the fallen chair and then got up on it to peer out the window herself.

Jeff stayed where he was on the floor and slipped his notebook into the back pocket of his jeans before she spied it and started badgering him for a peek inside like she always did, but she didn’t do anything, she didn’t even talk, she just stared out the window and then a few minutes later she jumped down and stalked towards the stairs that led up to the kitchen, kicking at a towel that had carelessly been left on the floor by the dryer before running up the stairs.

Jeff stood and swiped at the dust on his jeans, shaking his head as he heard the basement door close.

“What was that all about?”

**

Dawn peeked out the corner of her eye to make sure Jeff was still watching her. She knew any minute now Xander would come walking through the back gate after his usual morning patrolling spree with Spike to see the sun all big and yellow high above her and she smiled knowing Xander would arrive back alone having left Spike at his crypt to await sunset.

She didn’t know what she was going to do once Xander arrived, but whatever it was she planned on having Jeff witness it.

Buffy had told her that they would only be staying till Sunday – Two days – Not long if you asked her, but then again no one was asking her so she figured by the end of the today Jeff would have been well and truly paid back and then provided he still wanted to, which she had a feeling he would… they could get with the kissing. They’d just have to wait till Buffy left the house that was all.

Her thoughts going the way they were she totally missed the sound of the back gate opening and only noticed Xander’s presence when he stood right in front of her blocking the comforting heat of the sun’s rays with his body.

“Hey Dawnie,” He said sitting down on the porch besides her.

“Hey Xander,” She replied threading her arm through his. “You looked pooped. Tough night patrolling?”

He shrugged.

“Not really, just your usual big bad.” He said stifling a yawn. He leaned his head over until it rested on her shoulder and she smiled again being reminded of the old Xander. “I could close my eyes right here on this porch and still sleep like a baby.”

Dawn giggled and reached up to smooth the hair on his forehead.

“I’m sorry about Anya.” She whispered.

He shrugged again.

“Don’t be, I gotta get use to seeing her with other men. May as well start now.”

“I wish you didn’t have to start at all.”

He looked up at her then and smiled.

“You’re sweet Dawnie.” And then he lifted his head and kissed her lightly on the cheek.

She grinned and stood to her feet.

“I know.” She said before reaching her hand down to pull him up. “Come on, let’s get you to bed.”

**

“What are you doing? The knob is busted! Now we’re gonna have to wait for someone to open it from the outside.” Willow shrieked when her eyes adjusted to the darkness and she saw who exactly it was that had pulled her into the hall closet. She started pounding on the door with her fists. “Help we’re stuck-“ She began only to stop mid sentence when his hand covered her mouth and he repositioned them so that he was between her and the door. Her hand immediately went to her hips.

“I only want to talk.” He said holding both his hands up in front of him.

She stared at him wide eyed. “There are better ways to get a girls attention you know.”

“I know,” He nodded. “But the problem with that is you’re not staying still long enough to notice my efforts.”

“Well I have a lot to do today…”

“Like what?” He asked when her words trailed off.

“Like… like…”

“Like hide from me?” He finished for her.

“No… not exactly…”

“What… exactly.”

“I… I…” Willow swallowed. Was it her or did this tiny room suddenly get tinier? She felt like she was standing inside a match box and it didn’t help that she was standing so close to him. She could practically taste his scent and that fact alone was causing havoc with her senses.

“Willow…”

She heard him whisper her name, felt his hand tilt her chin up and she could do nothing but wait for that first touch of his lips against hers.

And then light spilled into the tiny room as the door was yanked open and a surprised Buffy stood there looking at them expectantly.

Tough Edge was way taller then both women, he had never felt so small as he did right then.

Damn! He thought as Willow fled red faced out of the cupboard. Why me? He inwardly cried before stepping out of the cupboard. He kept his eyes on the ground and only looked up once he had closed the cupboard door expecting to see… well, he didn’t know what he expected to see, but it sure wasn’t what he got. And that was a big fat nothing because no one was there. Well, he thought, at least he could be thankful that Buffy hadn’t stuck around to tease him with her all too knowing stare.

He had to wonder though why he wasn’t use to Buffy always being the one to catch them, wether it be intentional or not. And some how he figured it was ‘Not’.

With a sigh he turned and headed back to the kitchen and down into the basement where he knew Jeff would be… after all… misery loved company.

**

Part 22

AN: In this part there are mentions of some characters from the soap ‘Passions’. These characters don’t belong to me.

**

Buffy tapped lightly on Willow’s bedroom door.

No answer.

She tapped again.

No answer.

She tapped again a little louder this time.

Still no answer.

Twisting the door knob it easily swung open without much of an effort and she peered around the empty room.

“Will’s?” She called walking into the room. The door swung shut quietly behind her and when she turned around there was Willow sitting on the floor with her back up against the wall, her legs drawn up and her face buried in her knees.

All the teasing thought’s she’d had as she’d followed Willow up the stairs after seeing her and Edge locked at the lips in side the hall closet left her as she gazed down at her friend.

“Aw Will’s…” She began sliding down the wall till she sat beside the red head. “Was kissing Mr Tall-and-Blond really that bad?”

Willow shook her head vigorously her red hair whipping around her head as she did.

“Was it that ‘Good’ then?” Buffy continued this time eliciting a groan from her friend. She grinned then, she couldn’t help herself and added, “I’ll take that as a ‘Yes’ then shall I?”

Willow groaned again.

“Is it such a bad thing for you to have feelings for the man?”

The word “Yes” rushed out of the red head’s mouth as her head snapped up. “I shouldn’t be feeling this, we met under false pretences. He’s a charlatan and a fake-“

“And cute and sexy and drop dead gorgeous…” Buffy interrupted and laughed when Willow went bright red again.

“He leaves tomorrow and I may never see him again. He’ll forget all about me.”

Buffy sighed and gave Willow’s hand a squeeze as she got to her feet.

“He didn’t the last time.” She said smiling down at the red head before she left the room.

**

Xander yawned sheepishly and out of habit reached for his trustee Mickey Mouse watch on the small table by his bed. He lifted his head a notch and opened one eye to peer at the numbers Mickey pointed to before letting his head fall back to his pillow.

3:05pm

His eyes sprang open.

3:05pm!

He shot out of bed and immediately stubbed his tow on the leg of the table. Pain shot through his foot causing him to hop around the room on one foot but he refused to cry out ‘Ouch, ouch, ouch!’ which is what he would have done had Jeff and Edge not been there staring at him like he was there next opponent in the squared circle.

What the hell were they doing down here anyway? He asked himself. Shouldn’t Edge be lapping at Willow’s heels while Jeff tried to get close to one sister while staying out of the way of the other?

The pain in his foot lessened a tad and he was able to get it into his jeans leg without too much discomfort.

“Hey guys,” He said conversationally picking up last nights t-shirt and pulling it over his head. “What’s happening?”

Jeff made some unintelligible remark under his breath before turning his back on both men. Xander grinned loving the other man’s displeasure knowing there could only be one person responsible for it.

When he turned to Edge he saw his manner wasn’t that different to the younger man. His grin widened and he head for the stairs.

“That’s my girls,” He said and started up the basement stairs.

He opened the door at the top and stepped out into an empty kitchen. He could hear the TV on in the lounge room and immediately headed that way cursing Spike for not waking him.

“I should have known you’d leave me to sleep you sneak. You know I wanted to see how Charity rescued Miguel from the hell in Tabitha’s cupboard-“ His words halted when instead of the blond brit’s head popping up to stare at him from the comfy chair – ‘HIS’ comfy chair – A mass of long red hair came into view and a pair of excited green eyes stared back at him.

She sent him a pointed look before pursing her lips and holding a finger to them to shush him.

“Charity is about to find out that Grace is really her evil twin.” She said and then promptly turned back to the TV.

“Ooooh!” Xander exclaimed plopping down on the floor in front of her.

**

“Your phone man,” Jeff said not taking his eyes off the ceiling as he lay back on a small make shift bed he had deemed his own.

Edge ignored him. And his phone, but it continued to beep and Jeff continued to harp on about it.

Rolling his eyes he snatched at it and flipped it open. He shook his head. All this bloody hoopla from the besotted Hardy over a flipping text message, he thought pressing the necessary buttons to open the message.

It read: Having fun. Don’t wish you were here. Fell free to go back without me.

Edge grinned despite his sour mood. At least one of them was getting what he wanted, he thought, even if it were his lame ass brother.

Flipping his mobile shot he tossed it back onto his bag and rolled over to stare at the wall.

**

Part 23

**

“Knock knock!” Buffy called in a sing song voice as she entered Spike’s crypt only to find it void of anything un-dead. “Spike?” She called again taking a few steps forward. There was a half drunken container of blood on an up turned crate, a still lit cigarette in the ash tray burning down to nothing and ‘Passions’ flickering on the telly so she knew Spike had to be around somewhere.

She went to the secret tunnel that led down to a cavern underneath the crypt.

“Spike? Are you down there? I got your message about that hoard of vamps living in that old abandoned warehouse just outside Sunnydale… Spike?”

No answer came, but she heard a quick flicking sound as if someone had just lit a match and it had come from inside the tunnel.

“If you’re getting killed down there because you owe some low life a basket of kittens I am so out of here.” She grumbled entering the tunnel. When she landed at the bottom all she found at her feet was a lit candle in a holder and a note.

“Enter at own risk,” She read before rolling her eyes heavenward. “Normal girls get ‘Meet me under the grandstand’ or ‘would you do it and if so who with?’ but no, not me, not the Slayer, the chosen one. I get ‘Enter at own risk’.”

Her words halted when she saw a neatly set table with a floral centre piece and two lit candles on either side the latter plus the candle she held being the only lighting in the dark cavern. She moved closer and her eyes closed as she breathed in the fragrant blooms.

“Spike… what’s going on?” She asked even thought she knew by the candle light, beer and pizza that also adorned the top of the table that slaying vamps had been the last thing Spike had had on his mind when he had called her here.

He came out of the shadows then his features shadowed in the dim lighting.

“Didn’t you get my message?” He asked.

“I got ‘A’ message alright,” She replied still not looking up from the table. “Saying that there were vamp butts to dust.” She looked up then. “Let me guess, you invited them over to watch an episode of ‘Passions’ instead?”

He chuckled.

“Nah, been there – done that.”

“So what’s this then?” She asked her eyes going back to the table laid out before her.

He came closer – So close that she could feel the chill from his body behind her, a chill that caused a fire to flare up inside of her.

“Do you know we haven’t spent any time alone together since you returned from LA with a car full of muscle?”

She smiled and leaned back against him.

“Really?” She teased. “I hadn’t noticed.”

“That’s okay…” He said pushing his groin into her so she could feel his erection pressing into her back as his cold lips met the heated skin of her shoulder. “I’ve noticed enough for the both of us.”

**

“I’m thinking of going back tonight instead of waiting for tomorrow.”

“But that’s just silly,” Edge said looking at the younger Hardy who lay on his cot across the room from him. “It’s only one more sleep. If I can handle it, you can.”

“See that’s where you’re wrong,” Jeff replied swinging his legs over them edge of the cot so that he was now sitting up. “I’m not handling it. I’m not handling it at all.”

“Come on man-“

“You don’t know what its like for me,” He cut in hurriedly. “I mean at least Willow doesn’t have a crush on another guy.”

There was nothing Edge could reply to that statement. He himself had seen the way Dawn seemed to dote on Xander, but he got the impression it was more a brother/sister relationship then what Jeff was suggesting. He must really be in over his head where his feelings for Dawn were concerned if he thought anything other then a strong friendship existed between the two.

“Look, don’t go without at least trying to talk to her again.” He said.

Jeff shrugged and got up from his cot.

“I’m going to have a shower.” Was all he said as he made his way up out of the basement.

Edge sighed as he watched his young friend go. He wished there was something he could do. For Jeff and himself. It was then his eyes moved back to Jeff’s cot and as an idea started to float its way through his head. Getting up he walked towards where Jeff’s bag sat and picking it up he quickly turned it over to empty it of its contents.

Nothing, he thought as he rifled through the meagre contents of Jeff’s belongings. He got down on his hands and knees to check under the cot before pulling open the small draw at Jeff’s bedside.

Still nothing.

A thoughtful look came across his face and his hands went to his lean hips as he stared around the room. Now if I were Jeff, where would I put my most valued possession? He asked himself. His eyes zoned in on the younger man’s pillow.

Bingo!

Lifting it he saw what he had been looking for - Jeff’s journal.

He knew Jeff could get pretty deep when he put pen to paper and he bet every little scribble written on these pages would contain in full his feelings for Dawn. All he had to do was get her to read it. And that’s something he planned to do right now. It was about time he and Jeff stopped squatting down in this basement and went after what they wanted.

With a newly formed spring in his step he took the stairs three at a time, his sneakers squeaking across the tiled floor of the kitchen before taking the next set of stairs to the upper level of the Summers home pausing for breath only when he was standing outside Dawn’s bedroom door.

He rapped lightly on the closed door and a few seconds later it opened and he was met with Dawn’s bright smile.

“Right move wrong room.” She said a teasing flicker entering her eyes.

He knew what she was getting at, but he ignored the urge to bite, instead he shoved Jeff’s journal at her and with a commanding “Read it” turned on his heel and strode purposely out the door and straight across to Willow’s bedroom door where he didn’t even bother to knock.

In three quick moves he had opened the door, stepped inside and then quickly shut it behind him.

**

Part 24

**

Dawn lay diagonally across her bed with Jeff’s journal open in front of her. When she’d first opened it she’d felt a bit funny at invading his privacy like this because there was some pretty deep stuff scripted within its pages. Poems, thoughts, doodles, it was all there. All about his life or the parts of it everyone else didn’t see.

She wondered what had happened to all his journals prior to this one judging by what he had written on the first page this book was obviously a continuance. She found him to be quite the character in some of his writings, but in most he came across as a very unique individual and very, very much like the shy, quiet, deep person he exuded out of the ring.

This was him. This was the Jeff hardy that came to her in her dreams at night. The high flying risk taker that he was inside the ring was what had first drew her attention to him but it was his quiet self that had kept her attention there.

And soon with every page she turned she found his focus within the book turn to her. Everything was there from there first meeting to the Hyperion and then to the Summers home. Dawn was amazed. There was no other word for it.

That first time of there meeting his fleeting glances in her direction had been just that – Fleeting. Hell he had barely given her a second thought, yet within these pages he had everything that had happened that night written in perfect detail. He even had a description of what she had been wearing!

It then went on to document the months that went by after that fateful night, months where her image wouldn’t leave him alone, months that were filled with dreams, longing and finally love. The journal wasn’t yet finished, but nearing his last entries she came across some pictures he had drawn and there she saw her image come to life on page.

There was here asleep on the couch in Xander’s arms on one page and then on the overleaf there was an identical picture of her asleep on the couch only Jeff’s arms were the ones wrapped around her. It was like that for all the pictures. Her and Xander sitting on the back porch would then be accompanied by her and Jeff sitting on the back porch and so on and so forth. And then the last picture she came to was from the morning she had woken up to find a shirtless Jeff in her kitchen. In the picture they were both sitting on top of the kitchen counter, he was leaning in to her and she had her face tilted up to his as if they were about to kiss and between them on the counter lay

a plate of peanut butter pancakes.

**

“That is so fake.”

“Which is what makes ‘Passions’ so much fun to watch.”

“You got that right.” Lita said lifting her hand to respond to Xander’s high five.

How she had ended up on the floor with him in front of the telly she had no idea. Why she had been laughing and joking with him like he was one of the Hardy’s was even more of a mystery. She hardly knew this man yet since he’d entered the lounge room she’d felt like she’d known him all her life. Hell, scrap that. This feeling didn’t just crop up now, she’d felt it her very first time in this house when there eyes had met and locked as he’d passed by her with a sleeping Dawn in his arms.

He had made her tingle. Something none of the present men in her life had even come close to doing. She peered at him out the corner of her eye. His gaze was glued to the screen, but as if sensing her eyes on him he turned and smiled a goofy smile which made the eye patch he wore look so out of place giving her a glimpse of the carefree happy go lucky joker he had to have been before the patch and like magic there lips met.

‘Yep,’ She inwardly told herself as she moulded her lips to his. ‘Magic.’

**

She didn’t seem surprised by his sudden intrusion into her bedroom and if her bland expression and tiny lift of her shoulders were anything to go by he’d say she had bloody well been expecting it!

He watched as she straightened from her cross legged position on the bed to stand before him as he neared. For the longest moment they stared into each others eyes and then slowly he lifted his hand to smooth her hair back behind her ear.

She bit her lip.

“This probably isn’t a good idea.” She said.

“I’m pretty sure its not.” He replied.

“Then why?” She asked.

His gaze darkened, warmed even.

“Because I’ve wanted to do this since I first saw you.”

“Do-“ Was all she got out as the rest of her sentence was cut off when he leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. And suddenly Willow forgot what she’d been about to say, forgot everything but the feel of Edge’s mouth on hers.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back just as eagerly, whole heartedly and passionately as he was her and the next thing she knew he had her up against the wall touching her in places that had her gasping for breath. And then they turned as one and she now pressed him into the wall kissing him so hungrily that he groaned against her mouth. They went from one side of the room to the other in just this fashion, stumbling and falling against the wall in their urgency and by the time they had finally pin pointed the bed she was completely naked.

She lay on her back and he rose over her, his eyes burning into hers.

“You look exactly the way I imagined you.”

“You… imagined me… like this?”

He grinned devilishly.

“More times then I dare to confess.” And then his hands and mouth went to work weaving there incredible magic. He touched her in places that she had never considered particularly erogenous, but with

Edge the mere skim of his tongue against the back of her knee, the trace of his finger tip along the lines of her palm, the whisper of his heated breath against her bare back became most unbearably sensual.

Willow began to tremble. They’d barely gotten started and already she felt out of control. With an effort she rolled Edge off of her and straddled him so that she could work a little enchantment of her own and when he tried to protest she merely smiled.

**

That smile.

That smile was going to be the end of him, Edge thought. It was all sweet and innocent and yet there was a bad girl lurking in there somewhere. A passionate, fascinating woman just waiting to get sprung and he was doing his damnedest to free her.

He’d been right about her. She wasn’t a simple small town girl. She wasn’t a simple anything. She was complicated and confusing and dangerous. Edge had never known anyone like her, never known anyone whose outer persona was in such contradiction to her true inner self.

He was now seeing a bit of the Willow he had only but seen in his dreams as she bent to kiss him. As she did to him exactly what he’d done to her. Her hands explored… her mouth grazed and lingered and in a moment Edge knew that he would be the one out of control and yet he didn’t want that to happen. Not yet. There was still so much of Willow to experience. To savour. To cherish.

He pulled her to him, but when he would have taken charge she resisted by entwining her fingers with his and lifting his arms up over his head as she kissed him so intently that he could hardly breathe.

“I’m the one in control,” She murmured against his mouth. “Is that understood?”

“Perfectly…” He whispered.

“I can do whatever I want… right?”

He flashed his famous grin as a sign of his acquiescence before settling back and replying. “The sooner the better…”

**

Part 25

**

Dawn flew down the stairs only to pause once she reached the open basement door to smooth her hair and check her breath didn’t reek, secretly glad that no one was there to witness her giddiness at knowing Jeff Hardy loved her. Not Jeff Hardy – WWE’s high flying dare devil, but Jeff Hardy – The man.

She grinned. And if someone was here to witness her display she wouldn’t care anyway, even if it were Buffy.

She descended the stairs to the basement at a more moderate pace then what she’d used to get to the kitchen, her footfalls going unnoticed by the man standing at the other side of the room with his back to her, until her foot pressed down on the second to last step – The CREAKY step.

“Edge have you seen my journal? I can’t find it anywhere.”

He still had his back to her, his body now bent at the waist as he leaned over to rifle through the contents of his bag.

She stood there and died a slowly pleasant death as his boxes peaked back at her from beneath the top of his jeans. His lean waist tapering up to broad shoulders of which hung two muscular arms, arms that had embraced her in her dreams and apparently according to his journal – His too.

“Edge have you seen-“

His words halted as he turned. There eyes locked and held before his travelled down and saw what she had clasped in her hands. His eyes widened.

“Where did you get that?” He demanded. “That’s a private journal. Nobody likes a snoop you know.” He continued walking forward and snatching it from her fingers. He held it to his chest as if it were a life raft and backed back towards his cot before turning his back on her again.

His shoulders were hunched this time she noticed and heaving as if he’d just done a work out. Was her knowing how he really felt about her that much of a trial?

“I didn’t snoop Jeff,” She began slowly. “Well, at least not at first and how your journal came to be in my possession isn’t really a concern right now-“

“I can guess where you got it or should that be off ‘Whom’ you got it.” He said stuffing his journal in his bag and zipping it shut with a vengeance.

“Is it true?” She asked moving around to the other side of his cot so he would be forced to look at her and sighed when he shifted, his gaze now going to the foot of the cot.

“Jeff, is what you wrote in your journal true?”

He shrugged.

“It might have been…” He replied. “…At one time.”

“At one time? What’s that supposed to mean?”

He shrugged a second time and sat down on the cot, again putting his back to her.

Dawn could feel her eyes starting to tear and her hands fisted at her sides in an attempt to keep them from falling. She would not cry. She would not.

With one foot carefully placed in front of the other she made her way back to the stairs that led back up to the kitchen.

“How’s Xander?”

His voice reached her before she had a chance to step up onto the first step. She paused but didn’t answer and soon the sound of the second step creaking filled the air.

“Dawn!”

She paused again.

“Do you really and I mean ‘Really’ love him?”

His voice sounded strained to her ears as if he were having to try that little bit harder to get the words out.

“Yes, I love him…” She replied not turning around. “…But not like I love you.”

Once the words were out her first instinct was to run. To run as fast as her legs would carry her up the basement stairs, through the kitchen, passed the lounge and up to the second floor where she could slam her bedroom door and collapse in a pool of tears on her bed, but she didn’t even get time to lift her foot up onto the next step because she was hailed off her feet and into the air in a mass of swinging arms, legs and hair! And even then she barely had time to brush the curtain of hair that had fallen across her face away before she felt Jeff’s lips on hers. Or she hoped they were Jeff’s. One eye lid fluttered up so she could peer through it at the face that was currently trying and succeeding to connect with hers even with the curtain of hair between them and she smiled her eye lid closing again as her brain registered only one thing – Jeff.

**

“You think we’re ever gonna do it in a bed?”

Her arm snaked up to slap her bleached blond lover upside the head.

“Don’t be crude,” She scolded. “And no I don’t think we’re ever gonna do it in a bed,” She grinned. “Even if one were available.”

Spike nodded in all seriousness.

“Aw well, we’d probably break it anyway.”

Buffy groaned and held the sheet to her chest as she rose into a sitting position.

“What is it?” He asked a look of concern coming to his sharp features. “I didn’t hurt you did I?”

“No,” Buffy replied shaking her head. “You couldn’t hurt me, you make love like a girl – Ew! Did I just say that?”

Spike chuckled.

“Yep. Something you wanna tell me luv?” He teased pulling himself up so that they were now face to face. “…Some little fetish that you’ve been harbouring in that pretty little head of yours?” He continued placing delicate little kisses on her bare shoulder with every word he spoke.

“Uh – ha…” Was Buffy’s reply, her eyelids fluttered closed. “…Although…”

“Although what?” He pressed his lips slowly moving up her neck. Her fingers loss the grip they held on the sheet and it slipped down to her waist, her hands moving to rest on his shoulders.

“Although…” She said forcing him back so hard his head missed the pillow causing a cloud of dust to rise up where his head hit the dirt floor. Her mouth followed drawing his lips into her mouth so hard he figured she may eventually suck them right off - Either that or they’d be swollen for a week!

Her head lifted a moment later leaving his lips tingling in there wake.

“…Although…” She continued with their conversation. “…With all these little pecks and butterfly nips it makes me think that you sure do kiss like a girl.”

He chuckled again and grabbed the back of her head pulling it back down to his.

“And an ‘Alive’ girl at that.” She added and let out a girl shriek as he flipped her over.

**

Part 26

**

Willow purred lazily in her slumber and snuggled deeper into her pillow. She felt like she had been dusted over with happy dust, her smile was so wide and her body was all tingly.

The sun peeked down at her through the gap on the curtain and she felt like she could lie there forever and be utterly content. She buried her head deeper under the covers not wanting to lose this feeling she had to awake ness and felt her pillow shift beneath her.

Her left eyelid fluttered open regardless of her wish to stay in the land of nod and fastened greedily on the expanse of bare skin that rested beneath her cheek.

She smiled, her eye closed and she snuggled more into the warmth an arm automatically tightening where it encircled her waist almost she thought as if he were unconsciously halting her efforts to get out of bed.

‘As if’ Her mind told her. She wasn’t going anywhere, at least not anywhere soon.

She kissed his shoulder and felt his leg shift under hers. Both her eye lids fluttered open this time and she lifted the covers again just enough to peek down the length of him or she should say what she could see of the length of him. She blushed at what that view was. The poor man, what must he think of her? Yet… he didn’t seem to be complaining that not only was he her pillow, but he was her mattress as well.

His legs were slightly parted and one of hers lay between them while the other stretched across his navel over that fleshy part of his anatomy that had given her so much merriment last night. She tentatively tried to move her leg and his hand clamped around her thigh keeping it just where it was while his other hand began to rub slow tantalising circles across her lower back.

She grinned, her head still buried under the covers.

“How long have you been awake?” She asked.

He chuckled, his chest shaking beneath her.

“Long enough to admire you – Admiring me.”

He gasped as her hand trailed down his abs and lingered just above his belly button.

“Minx.” He said reaching beneath the covers to pull her up, but she stopped him with a well placed finger to his lips just as his fingers threaded there way through her hair to pull her head down to his.

“As much as I hate to say this we really must get up. Everyone is probably wondering where we are, no doubt Buffy is gonna want to hear all the smoochy goodness and then Dawn although I won’t give her as much smoochy goodness as I would Buffy or Anya, but then Anya’s a different story altogether and will probably want pictures and if Lita’s anything like them she’s gonna want details too, not to mention the teeny tiny fact that this is your last-“ Her words halted mid babble as she realised what she was about to say.

“That this is my last day?” He finished for her.

She swallowed and sat up intending to get up, but his arms prevented that action as they banded around her and pulled her to him so her back nestled nicely against his chest. He sighed and leaned forward till his chin rested on her shoulder.

“This may be my last day here in Sunnydale,” He said his lips close to her ear. “But I’ll be damned if this is gonna be my last day with you.”

“But we come from two different worlds, your life takes you all over the planet where as mine won’t let me leave Sunnydale. You’ll meet someone else.”

“Willow-“

“Someone who’s sexy and hot and probably blond and…” Her eyes bulged and she stretched her arms out in front of her as far as they would go. “…With boobs out to here and...”

Edge chucked.

“Willow-“

“…Curves that would melt a snowman. You would forget all about-“

Chuckling still he placed a finger under her chin and turned her face up to his silencing her with his mouth. And a very effective action it was too as Willow lost track of all thought and merely gazed in confusion back at him some moments later when he pulled away.

“You Miss Rosenberg ‘Think’ too much. I’ve spent a good chunk of this year pining for you and now that I’ve got you I’m never letting you go.”

**

“My oh my, look who finally decided to grace us with there presence.” Jeff called from where he and Dawn were seated on the steps of the Summers front porch.

“And what a worth while experience it must be for you my child.” Christian replied leaning down as if he were addressing a five year old and patted Jeff on the head.

“I see circumstances have evolved,” Anya noted raising a brow at the arm Jeff casually flung over Dawn’s shoulders.

The younger woman grinned.

“You could say that.”

Anya’s brow rose more.

“But not too evolved I hope young lady, I’d hate to have to get all

ex-demony on his extremely cute butt.” She said leaning her head to the side as if to get a better view causing Jeff to shift uncomfortably.

Dawn’s grinned turned into a giggle.

“You can be such a ‘Buffy’ sometimes An.”

Christian chuckled enjoying ‘His’ girls teasing and Jeff shot him a look.

“I don’t know why you think Anya checking out my butt is funny,” He said repositioning himself so that he now faced Anya. “She’s supposed to be your girl friend, remember?”

“She ‘Is’ my girl friend.” Christian replied easily.

“I am?’ Anya queried turning to Christian suddenly forgetting all about Jeff and his extremely cute butt.

“You are.” He confirmed before addressing Jeff once more. “Besides she can look all she wants, but the only butt she’ll be laying hands on is mine.”

“Hey guys.”

They all turned in unison to see Buffy standing in the doorway.

“Hey,” Dawn replied grabbing hold of Jeff’s arm as he made to move it from her shoulder. Buffy didn’t seem to notice, but Dawn knew she did and she also knew they’d be some explaining to do later on, but right now for whatever reason her sister was feigning ignorance and that was perfectly okay with her. Anyway, as much as it pained her they’d all be leaving soon and she’d probably never see him again. His fingers squeezed hers as if he had read her mind, but then another thought entered her head when she noticed her sister was dressed in the same clothes she had had on yesterday.

“Didn’t make it home last night hey?”

Buffy’s brows furrowed before her gaze turned to her person.

“Spike and I had a few things to work out.” She said her hands inadvertently moving to smooth down the creases in her jeans.

“Anyone want coffee?”

Buffy moved out of the door way as Willow’s voice sounded behind her, yet it was Edge was appeared holding a tray the aroma of coffee coming with him as he stepped out onto the porch and Willow follow closely behind. Very close Dawn noted with a smile.

Christian grinned.

“Hey big bro, miss me?”

“Like a stake up my butt.” Edge replied, the three men shooting the girls a weird look when all four of them choked on there coffee.

Jeff’s hands immediately went to gently pat Dawn’s back, Willow’s eyes started to water, Buffy stuck out her tongue and started waving her hand back and forth in front of it muttering “Hot, hot”, while Anya followed Buffy’s queue only she chose to use Christian’s mouth to cool her tongue down.

“Wow!” Christian exclaimed when she had released him. His eyes went from her to her cup I quick succession as if willing her to take another mouthful.

“H… has anyone seen Xander?” Willow asked placing her cup back on the tray and blushed when Edge sent her a wink.

“Or Lita for that matter,” Jeff said and then stupidly added, “We can’t make a move without her.” Totally missing the hurt look it caused in the young woman sitting at his side.

“Well the van’s still parked in the driveway so we know she hasn’t left without us.” Christian pointed out.

“Maybe they’re together,” Dawn suggested quietly as she blew on the hot liquid in her cup.

Everyone but Dawn’s brows furrowed and then a united “Nahhh…” resounded around them before they all lapsed into silence.

**

Part 27

**

“Got everything?”

Jeff looked up and smiled as Dawn came down the basement stairs.

“Yeah…” He began taking her hand in his as she approached his gaze lingering on there entwined fingers. “I pretty much had everything packed last night.”

There it was again, she thought. That oh so subtle hint of him leaving or to be more precise his obvious ‘Hurry’ to leave. First it was that little jibe about not being able to leave without Lita and now he was telling her he had been packed since last night.

Her thoughts must have been written in her expression because he suddenly became contrite and pulled her to him, his arms hugging her so tight she thought her stomach might explode through the top of her head.

“Jeff… Jeff…” She sputtered into his shoulder. “I need to breathe.”

He loosened his hold and grinned sheepishly only to tighten it again when she moved to take a step back.

“I’m an insensitive monkey,” He said leaning down so that he was eye level with her. “I didn’t think… I mean I didn’t… that is… Shit!” He closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths before opening them again. “I got something for you.” He said finally and pulled her gently towards the cot.

“Steady on big boy,” She said planting her feet. “I don’t think I’m ready for the full on frontal action just yet.”

“Huh?”

She looked pointedly at him and then at the cot and he started to laugh.

“No,” He said tugging on her hand again. “I just meant for you to ‘Sit’ on it.”

“Oh,” She said and moved with him to the cot. “So, what have you got for me?”

He reached into his bag which sat open on the cot behind her, pulled out his journal and held it out to her.

“I want you to have this.” He said.

“Your journal, Jeff… I can’t… there’s a lot of really deep stuff in there.”

“Yeah and most of it was inspired but you. This journal sums up how I feel about you and I want you to have it so you never forget that I… that I love you.”

“Jeff…”

His name was but a whisper on her lips, but before she could add to it he reached into his bag again and pulled out a mobile phone.

“I also what you to have this – I know you already have one, but it’s my spare. It has all my numbers stored in it, mobile, home, work, family members, friends… and the bill comes to me so you have no excuse not to call.”

“Wow,” She grinned. “You’ve thought of everything.”

He leaned towards her until her back was pressed against the cot mattress and smiled down at her.

“Like duh Miss Summers.”

Her arms went up and around his neck.

“Like duh Mr Hardy.”

And then they kissed.

**

Willow stood at the sink rinsing out the coffee cups, Edge stood behind her, she didn’t need to look to know that his butt rested against the edge of the counter, she just knew. Just like she knew his eyes were on her, she could feel them burning a hole into the back of her head and judging but his silence since he’d followed her into the kitchen there could only be one reason why.

“I don’t want to go.” He said as she placed the last mug on the dish stand to dry.

“I know.” She replied her back still to him. She picked up a dish towel and started to dry her hands.

She felt him right behind her then, his hands on her waist and she leaned back into him.

“I ‘Really’ don’t want to go.” He repeated.

She was about to say ‘Then don’t go’, but his “But I have too” stopped her.

“I have a contract to honour.” He added.

Willow nodded not really sure what to say.

“But I can visit right? Weekends, public holidays, days off…”

“Yeah, sure…”

“Or you could visit me sometime… anytime actually… just say the word… I’ll pay.”

Willow raised her brows.

“That’s… that’s very generous.”

His arms slipped around her waist till his fingers linked.

“I can afford to be generous. I want to be with you Willow, whatever it takes.”

Her hands covered his and she smiled.

“Do you think Xander and Lita have come out of hiding yet?”

“Maybe… you want us to go look?”

She shook her head liking the way he said the word ‘us’ and replied. “Nah, I want ‘us’ to stay right here.”

**

“You know the WWE come through LA a lot…”

“Hmmm…”

“…and LA is what? A two hour drive from Sunnydale?”

“There about…”

“I could maybe call you…”

“Aha…”

“We could like meet up somewhere in the middle…”

“Somewhere in the middle… yeah we could do that.”

“Cool.”

“Yeah.”

“So this is not goodbye then…”

“Don’t sound like goodbye to me.”

“Cool.”

“You said that already.”

“Oh.”

“So… you done with the talking thing?”

He nodded.

“Good.” She grabbed his hand and led him towards the rental van. “Let’s have sex already.”

Christian didn’t need to be told twice and happily let Anya pull him along behind her, but once they reached the back of the van he pulled her to him, his lips finding hers as his hand reached for the door handle.

“What the…? Oh… Christian… morning…”

Brows furrowed, lips still pursed in a there shared kiss, Christian and Anya turned to the voice.

“Lita?”

“Xander?”

They both said in unison, but it was Dawn’s voice behind them that broke through there surprise at what they’d just disturbed when she said, “Told you so.”

**

Part 28

AN: ‘Metalingus’ is by ‘Alterbridge’ and does not belong to me.

**

“Thank you for a wonderful night.” She whispered on his lips.

“Thank you for an even better morning.” He whispered back in kind.

“Mmm… sorry bout the awkward wake up call.”

Xander shrugged and in doing so caused her hands to slip from where they had been resting atop his shoulders.

“The untimely interruption doesn’t matter. We were two consenting adults enjoying what two consenting adults consented too.”

She grinned.

“Well put.”

All at once he became cool, calm and sexy Xander, his head tilting to one side as he replied, “I have my moments.”

“After those moves you pulled last night I well believe that!” She said moving to the side a step so that she was beside inside of in front of him. She leaned back into the side of the van and watched the happenings up on the front porch of the Summers home. Every one of them who stood on the porch were in the process of saying goodbye. A process that – She brought her wrist up and glanced down at her watch – Had been going on for the passed half an hour.

“How did you do that thing anyway?” Lita continued turning her attention back to the hottie next to her.

“What thing?” He asked his hand lifting to adjust the patch over his eye.

“That thing with your back and my leg and…”

“Oh!” He grinned now. “’That’ thing!”

“Yeah, ‘That’ thing.” She chuckled.

“I dunno it just came to me. I guess you could say you inspired it.”

“Really?”

“Aha,”

Lita grinned and they both turned back to the others still up on the porch and called,

“Hurry up you lot!”

**

“Where’s Spike? I wanted to thank him for giving up his room for us.”

“A cot in the basement is hardly ‘Spike’s’ room.” Buffy replied candidly.

“Yeah and it’s not even half as decent as his crypt.”

Jeff tilted his head to look down at Dawn.

“Crypt?”

“Yah-hah.” She said ignoring her sister’s warning looks. “It’s the coolest place ever.”

“I doubt he’ll make it here to appreciate your heart felt thanks.” Buffy remarked her eyes on the bright golden sun shining down on them. “Besides he gets all teary and blubbery…”

“Bullocks.”

Willow giggled as the sound of Spike’s brit accent came at them from just inside the doorway and met Buffy’s amused look with one of her own before she and Edge walked hand in hand towards the waiting van with Anya and Christian following soon after.

“Taa-raa everyone.” Spike said and they were treated to the faint glimpse of his hand as he sent them a farewell wave.

“Thanks,” Jeff said sending a look Buffy’s way and grinned when she smiled back at him instead of the usual scowl. “And thanks to you too Spike.”

“Your welcome.” Came the reply from just inside the doorway. “Now bugger off.”

Wether they had heard Spike’s reply or not Buffy had no idea as Jeff and Dawn made there way towards the others, but by the look she sent him it was plain to see she had.

Spike’s look though was an innocent one and his hands were raised in askance.

“What?” He said his brow cocked. “You’re just as glad to have them gone as I am to have my cot in the basement back.”

She rolled her eyes and with a final wave to the ones leaving she made her way inside.

“Not that I use it much of course.” He added as he followed her.

**

It was a sad foursome that drove out of Sunnydale that day, well at least three of that foursome anyway because Lita felt like she was on top of the world and didn’t mind letting everyone know it as she belted out the words to ‘Metalingus’ at the top of her lungs.

Christian wasn’t as bad as the two in the back she mused, but he was a far cry from the happy wave she was surfing on.

Focusing back on the road she settled in for the ride back to LA. Thank god she was driving!

“On this day… I see clearly…”

**

“Well hey!” Cordelia exclaimed as Lita, Edge and Jeff all sauntered through the Hyperion doorway. “How was your weekend in good old Sunnyhell?”

“Sunnyhell?” Lita repeated.

Cordelia grinned.

“Sunnydale doesn’t rate highly on my holiday list.” She said noticing the far away look in both Edge’s and Jeff’s eyes. She cocked her head to the side and chuckled. “You two leave something behind?”

Edge grunted and Jeff ignored her question all together, but both flopped down in unison on the circular couch and asked after Matt.

“He’s fine. Doing great, hardly knew he was here.” She answered moving closer to Lita who still stood in the doorway when the two men didn’t readily reply to her words.

“They’re in love.” The red head answered joining her cousin in her perusal of the two men on the couch.

“And the other?” Cordelia asked nodding to Christian, the only one of there party who had remained in the van and by the tilt of his head it was plain to see he was in the land of nod.

“Pfft! He’s just plain tuckered out that one.” The red head replied and then continued with, “But ‘I’ had fun.”

“Oh? Do tell.”

“Can’t.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t kiss and tell.”

Lita grinned and made her way to the counter where she helped herself to a cup of coffee, her cousin hot on her heels.

“Yes, you do.” Cordelia laughed.

“Okay I do.” Lita confessed joining in on the laughter. “But I’m not going to this time.”

“Why not?”

Lita’s look became distant and she smiled.

“I don’t know,” She replied. “This is something I want to keep just for me.”

“Well I can’t argue with that,” Cordelia said reaching out and succeeding in swiping the doughnut the red head had been in the process of bringing to her mouth.

“Hey!” She cried spinning on her heel to snatch it back only to stop at the sight of her good friend Matt Hardy standing at the bottom of the stairway.

He looked great! Granted his arm was in a sling, but his eyes were sparkling and his grin was a mile wide.

“Hey you,” She said going to him immediately and wrapping her arms around him. “How are you?”

“Fine Li… really fine.” He replied returning her hug. “Fred’s been taking good care of me.”

The red head pulled back then as the lady in question made her way down the stairs with a suitcase in her hand.

“Look’s like you’ve given into the girl in you and done a bit of shopping.” She teased nudging him with her shoulder.

“Oh the suitcase isn’t mine,” He said once Fred was standing next to him.

Neither Edge nor Jeff had moved an inch since Matt’s appearance, but at his words they both turned there gazes towards the elder Hardy with identical arched brows when Matt continued with, “It’s Fred’s.”

**

“I can’t believe you’re going.”

“I can’t believe he asked me.”

“Well that I can believe considering you two have been living in each other’s pockets for the passed two days.”

Fred sighed.

“Two days. Has it really only been two days?”

Yep, two days he thought smiling as he looked down at her, didn’t seem long enough to warrant Fred’s decision to leave them.

‘I want to be with him.’ She had said that morning when she had presented Matt’s request to him. ‘He’s makes me happy.’

And he knew it was true after all – His eyes went to Cordelia – He himself never strayed far from what made him happy.

“You sure you want to do this?” He said when everyone started to make there way outside.

“Yes, I’m sure.” Fred replied and leaned up to kiss his cold cheek. “Don’t wait forever.”

Angel pulled back a little to stare down at her, but Fred wasn’t falling for his ‘I-don’t-know-what-you’re-talking-about’ look and added, “’She’s’ not going to wait forever.” Before walking out into the sunlight where the others waited to say there goodbyes.

Fifteen minutes later Angel still stood just inside the doorway and watched as Fred and her new life drove away.

She was right he mused and chuckled, no surprise there – Fred was rarely wrong. So with that thought in his mind as soon as Cordelia passed back under the Hyperion doorway he grabbed her, pulled her to him and made sure Fred’s parting words weren’t all for naught.

**

Epilogue

**

“Willow! He’s here!”

“She’s way ahead of you Dawnie.” Anya called in response from the lounge room.

Dawn looked in to see the ex-demon standing at the window doing what she did best – Peep.

“You telling me she’s already out there?”

Anya nodded not turning her attention from the window.

“Well hell, doesn’t that just defeat the purpose of asking me to tell her when he arrived.” Dawn continued joining her friend at the window.

“I sure hope he’s brought presents this time.” Anya remarked smoothing the curtain back in place as Willow and Edge started to make there way up the path to the front door.

“What was that baby?” Dawn said speaking into the mobile that since Jeff’s departure had become a permanent fixture at her ear and a few moments later she lifted her eyes to Anya and sent her a thumbs up mouthing the word ‘Presents’ just as the front door opened.

“Hey.” She then greeted the couple, stretching up on her tippee toes to kiss Edge’s cheek before promptly making her exit to finish her lengthy afternoon conversation with the love of her life.

“The amount of time Dawn spends on the phone to Jeff it’s a wonder they haven’t run out of topic’s to talk about.” Willow said placing her hand on Edge’s where it rested on her hip.

“Maybe they just like the sound each other make when they masturbate.”

Both Edge and Willow raised there brows in askance to Anya’s suggestion who in turn rolled her eyes and said, “Like you two have never done it.”

Willow blushed so bad she felt like a tomato, while Edge chuckled behind her and took Anya’s intent look off his girl by producing an envelope.

“For me?” She asked feigning surprise. “What is it?”

“Don’t know,” He replied. “…Was under strict instructions not to open it.”

“Ooooh! Open it now I’m curious.” Willow beamed moving forward a step, but Edge pulled her back within the circle of his arms and leaned down to whisper. “Believe me you don’t want to see what’s in ‘That’ envelope.”

“Why not?” She asked turning her head up to peer back at him.

He grinned.

“Let’s just say that Christian has been experimenting a little with a Polaroid camera.”

“Oh… Oh!... OOHH!!” She giggled and allowed him to pull her out of the lounge and towards the stairs. “Besides what I’ve got to show you is much, much better.”

Willow chuckled in anticipation as together they made there way up the stairs.

“How’s Buffy and Spike?” He asked.

“Fine. How’s Matt and Fred?”

“Fine.”

“And Lita?”

“Still single… Xander?”

“Same.”

“So…” He said stopping outside her bedroom door his eyes travelling down her length while his hand groped for the door handle. “…Is that everybody?”

She grinned. As he pushed the door open and replied.

“Pretty much.”

“Good.” He said and pulled her inside his mouth finding hers long before the door had time to shut.

**

Much, much later Willow lay in Edge’s arms. She smiled and blew a rush of air over his exposed nipple her smile widening when he growled deep in his throat before hooking his thumb under her chin to tilt her head up to his.

“It’s amazing how much has happened since out first meeting.”

“Mmmm… remind me again why I didn’t like you much then?” She teased.

“Witch.” He chuckled and flipped her over so that he was now looking down at her.

“You may not have liked me much then, but you like me a hell of a lot now.”

“Yep. You won me over.” She grinned. “Or in wrestle-talk ‘pinned me for a three count’.”

He shook his head.

“No Willow. It was you who won me over. You who pinned me for a three count, from the moment I first saw you. That was it. I was a goner. For me that was when it started.”

‘Yes,’ She thought her eyes fluttering to a close as his lips met hers. ‘That was it for me too… back then was when it all started.’

**

End – When It Started

**

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