The Ring

    Buffy Summers woke up from her deep sleep feeling excited , but not sure why. Was it Christmas? Her birthday? Her eyes looked to the calendar on the wall- February 14th. It was then she remembered the night before....

The Bronze
February 13th.
   

 "So Buffy, won't you be my Valentine?" Xander leaned in and placed a conversation heart in front of Buffy. Buffy picked it up to read what it said. "You start my motor."
        Buffy laughed out loud. "Xander, this has got to be the corniest y thing I've seen in my life!"
        Xander faked a hurt look. "Now don't crush me so easily, Buffy! I spent a whole hour searching through my Conversational hearts bag for the perfect message!"
        Buffy faked a look of appreciation. "Why, thank you ,Xander. I'm touched, really!"
        Xander pretended to scowl. "No appreciation of my thoughtfulness. See if I ever carry your groceries home when we're both 180."
    Buffy just smiled.
    Willow looking a little hopeful glanced at Xander. "Didn't you get me a heart Xander?"
    Xander looked startled for a moment and then smiled. "Of course ,Willow dear. Here ya go, and don't ever say I didn't get you anything." He handed her a heart.
    Willow grabbed it, her eyes lit with excitement. She glanced at the message "Be my valo-pal." Her face fell.
    "Thanks Xander, I'll always treasure it."
    Xander didn't notice her mournful expression ,instead  he looked towards the back of the bronze.
    "Oh look ,it's vampo boy. Hey Buffy, your blood sucker is here."
    Buffy glared at Xander. "Hush, Xander, he's not "my" blood sucker. He's just a....a... friend."
    Xander rolled his eyes. Buffy watched as Angel made his way to the table. He had a funny look on his face.
    "Buffy I need to talk to you. Alone." Angel said, in a quiet voice.
    Buffy glanced at Xander and Willow, shrugged and got up to follow Angel.
    Xander called after her,  "Remember Buffy, stake him if he gets frisky! You can do it , slayer!"
    Buffy didn't even bother to respond. She just followed Angel to a side e door that led to the alley way.
    "What do you need Angel?" Buffy asked causally.
    "I needed to talk to you Buffy, I-I wanted to go out with you tomorrow night."                        Valentine's Day, Buffy thought and felt a flash of surprise.
    "Uhh, okay Angel, any reason why you suddenly want to go out with me?"
    Angel sighed, looking down at something that was obviously very interesting on the ground.
"Look Buffy you know I care about you. I have trouble saying it, well-well because I don't want to see you get hurt. I'm a 241 year old vampire and you're only a 16 year old girl; I just don't feel like this could work."
    Buffy glared at Angel. "Look Angel, we've had this conversation before, it's getting old, and frankly I don't care about it anymore. We both have feelings for each other, and hiding them is not going to change that."
    Angel looked at the sky, full of shimmering stars, for a minute and then nodded.
    "I know, and that's why I want to see you tomorrow night. I want to take you to a special spot. I'll make dinner, and I have something I want to give you."
    Buffy felt her heart skip a beat. "Okay Angel ,I'll see you tomorrow, then."
    Angel nodded and stepped back into the shadows- he seemed to melt into the wall. "Tomorrow then." His voice echoed against the cold brick walls and the dancing wind.......

......She realized why she felt so excited now. Angel was giving her a gift. A Valentine's gift. Buffy jumped out of bed and went to her closet to pick out something to wear. There was her black skirt with the white tank top and of course Angel's black leather jacket ...no, that was too dark. There were her purple pants and white peasant shirt...no, too childish. Then she had it. The maroon cord pants and the white tank top with the black leather jacket. Perfect, Buffy thought. Sfter all, she had to look stylish on Valentine's day!

 The school was full of cheesy cut -outs of paper hearts, and cupids that were pointing arrows at unsuspecting students. Buffy smiled at her surroundings. She loved Valentine's day, mostly because it was the one holiday that didn't involve her spending a fortune on presents and that was actually kind of romantic. Well of course that depended on her dating status, but with Angel's mysterious gift she certainly couldn't complain.
    "Buffy, I need to see you right now!"  Giles voice rang out down the hall ,embarrassing her in front of students. Then again maybe she could complain. Groaning silently, she walked into the dark library.
    "What is it, Giles? And thanks a ton for embarrassing me in front of the whole school!"      Giles had the decency to act a little apologetic. "I'm sorry, Buffy, but this couldn't wait. I need to talk to you about being available for patrol tonight-"
    "Oh no! Giles, no! I have a date tonight! Please don't tell me your going to ruin my first date with Angel!" Buffy cried, interrupting.
    Giles looked upset by this news. "Buffy, you know I don't approve of you dating Angel to being with. First of all he's way too old for you. And secondly,  of all and most importantly, you're the slayer and he's a-"
    "Vampire. Ya Giles, I've heard the sitch. I don't need your lecture. I'm a big girl and I'm going out on this date with Angel. Patrol will just have to wait. You told me you were going to loosen up on me!"
    Giles sighed. "Very well Buffy; but please at least have a look, and  scout the area before your date."
    Buffy eyes widened in shock and pleasure. "You mean it? You're going to let me go out?! Oh Giles, thank you!" Buffy leaned in and gave him a quick hug. "Don't worry, Giles I promise to scout the area before I go out on my date! And thanks again!"
    Giles watched as Buffy ran out the door so she wouldn't be late for her first class. I can't believe I just let her go out on a date with a vampire! Giles thought. What would my ancestors say!
   

    "You're going on a date with that blood sucking monster?" Xander asked horrified.
    Buffy wrinkled her nose up at that. "Please, Xander. Don't call him that! He isn't like that . You know that!"
    Xander looked at her with a distrustful look on his face. "I don't know any such thing! I told you before -I know he was looking at my neck that night you faced the master! He was checking out my vein!"
    Buffy just rolled her eyes and looked at Willow.
    "I think it's really romantic." Willow said with a dreamy expression on her face. "What are you going to wear, Buffy?"
    "I haven't decided yet. I was thinking that short black velvet dress I bought at the mall last weekend."
    Willow nodded her head in approval, but Xander shook his head.
    "Oh no ,Buffy! Not that one! It's way out dated. It just screams funeral! Of course, then again, something that screams funeral could be appropriate for Angel."
    Buffy gave Xander a dirty look. "Please, Xander! For the last time, he's not going to kill me! He's a good vampire. And I really like him, so please stop saying bad stuff about him!"
Xander sighed and glanced away, saying nothing.
    "So anyways, Willow do you want to come over and help me get ready tonight?"
    Willow nodded her head eagerly. "Oh! I could totally help you out!"   
    "Great ,see you around sevenish."
    Xander suddenly looked very interested in the conversation. "I could help you get ready too.."
    Buffy just rolled her eyes heavenward.

    Buffy waited at the graveyard. Her black dress looked smashing if she did say so herself. Angel was late. About 10 minutes late, to be exact. Where is he? Buffy thought in annoyance. The truth was she was worried. Not that something had happened to him, but that he had changed his mind and decided not to show.
"Hey."
       Angel's voice came out of the darkness ,startling her. "God! Don't' do that! You almost gave me a heart attack!"
    Angel looked sheepish. "Sorry, I have a odd habit of creeping around."
    Buffy smiled "I noticed. You're late, by the way."
    "I was setting up dinner. Follow me." Buffy followed Angel up a dark path of trees and up a hill. Where in the world are we going she thought. As they finally burst through the trees and into the open, Buffy's breath caught in her throat. It was beautiful. The moon and stars shown brightly in the sky casting an unearthly pale silvery light across the ground. Below, the city lights sparkled merrily, reminding them of civilization. It smelled of roses, cinnamon and the coming of fall. And in the middle of the grassy field was a red blanket. Candle light danced in the nights wind and food was laid out across the deep red sea of velvet. Buffy vaguely recognized piles of fruit, some kind of pasta and champagne glasses. Champagne?
    Angel spoke as if hearing her thoughts. "It's just sparkling cider. But I thought the champagne glasses would be more romantic."
    Buffy smiled. Well it certainly was that.
    "Please, sit." Angel said making a gesture with his arm. Buffy walked over to the blanket and sat down. Angel poured the cider into a glass and handed it to her. Buffy took a sip, feeling the searing bubbles in the back of her throat. The taste was sweet and sultry.
Angel fiddled with the stem of the glass and then set it aside.
    "Buffy, I've been wanting to give you this for awhile now; I just haven't found the right time. I think this its the right time now. But first, let's eat."
    Buffy nodded, helping herself to some grapes, strawberries, and spaghetti. Buffy , suddenly starving, dug in heartily, surprised at how good it tasted.
    She took a sip of her cider before speaking. "This is really good, Angel! I didn't know you were such a good cook!"
    Angel grinned. "Oh, its just something I picked up over the years."
    Buffy smiled and continued eating. Soon she realized as the food on her plate began to disappear Angel's food remained untouched.
    "Aren't you going to eat anything?"
    Angel looked embarrassed. "No I, uh, ate before I came, I'm not very hungry. Its okay I like to watch you eat."
    There was an awkward pause.
    Buffy cleared her throat. "Well, it's a really nice meal anyways."
    Angel managed a small smile at that. The rest of the meal passed very quickly; they talked about the past. Buffy's heart cried out for Angel and the miserable life he had. Desert was chocolate and strawberries. Just as she finished her last strawberry, Angel cleared his throat and reached in his jacket pocket. He pulled out a small silver wrapped package.
    "This is your gift, Buffy, please open it."
    Buffy didn't need any further coaxing. She tore into her package. She lifted up the top of the shiny white box and her breath caught. It was a ring; a gold band with tiny rubies encrusted into the circle of gleaming gold. The candle flame glinted off the red stones casting light across Angel's face like star dust.
    "It's-it's beautiful, Angel, thank you." Buffy whispered as her eyes misted over.
    Angel looked at her seriously as he took the ring out of the box and slipped it gently on to her right hand.
    "This ring is a symbol of my love for you Buffy; however this is no ordinary ring. When you wear this, I can sense your emotions. If you're in trouble I will know it and can try to track you down. I want to help you, Buffy, I don't want anything to happened to you."
    Buffy smiled. "I know you don't, Angel. It's a beautiful ring and I love it, but don't worry so much, I'll be fine."
    Angel shook his head. "I knew you would say that. Nevertheless, I still want you to have it. Keep it on your hand at all times."
    Buffy nodded, slipping her hand in his. Who would have thought Angel would turn out to be the super romance over protective time? She had not thought so- since her first impression of him was someone who was dark and brooding. For a long while they sat in the illuminated darkness just holding one another and staring out across the dark vast hill sides. Then Buffy finally whispered once.
    "I love you."
    Angel smiled and whispered "Je t'aime"
    Buffy sighed. "I wish this didn't have to end."
    Angel nodded and looked out across the night sky. In the distance, a glimmer of light  blossomed on the horizon turning the sky that met the city in to a purple dawn.
    "Buffy, it's time for me to go now."
    Buffy nodded sadly, feeling a tear roll down her cheek.
    "I'll see you again before you know it. Don't cry." Angel wiped the tear off her cheek. The next ten minutes were spent silently as they picked up the picnic left overs. Soon every thing was packed up and ready to go.
    Angel took Buffy closely in his arms and kissed the top of her head. "I'll see you soon."
    Buffy watched in sadly as Angel began walking in to the trees seeming to be swallowed up by the morning fog. She sat on the hill, tears dripping down her face watching as the sun soon rose above the small city of Sunnydale. It wasn't fair! Why did their love have to be so forbidden? Soon the sun began to fill the sky with pale lemon light. Buffy stood and looked at her ring. It sparkled one last time in the morning sunlight before fading to an ordinary red. She got her things together and headed back down the hill.
It was time to go home;Valentine's Day was over.

The end. Hey I know it was depressing! Read more in "Jealousy" ;)

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