"Dinner was outstanding," Robin said when she and Angel reached the door to her dorm room. "Thank you so much."

Angel smiled at her. "It's my pleasure. I wanted to do something special for you, considering this is your last night in town for a couple weeks."

"That's so thoughtful of you." She took her key out of her black purse. "I've got a Christmas present for you. It's inside."

"I have something for you, too."

"Well, come on in. We can open them in my room."

Angel followed her inside, and Robin closed the door behind them. "Shannon's not here?" he asked.

Robin shook her head. "Nope. She left at six tonight. We have the room all to ourselves."

"Oh." Reaching into his coat pocket, he pulled out a flat box, holding it out to Robin. "Merry Christmas, Rob."

Her eyes widened with glee, like a small child on Christmas morning. Taking it from him, she looked at it for several moments before ripping off the wrapping paper. When she opened it, her breath caught. What she found shocked even her. A gold, oval locket on a delicate gold chain. "A-Angel, this is so beautiful. I don't quite know what to say."

"I hope you'll say you like it."

Robin threw her arms around him, planting a soft kiss on his lips. "It's such a thoughtful gift, I love it. Of course I do."

"Buffy picked it out, actually," he admitted to her. "I needed a woman's point of view."

"Thank her for me next time you see her."

"Will do."

Placing her hand on the back of his head, she brought his lips to hers. Robin deepened the kiss, using her tongue to open Angel's mouth. Without breaking their embrace, she placed the jeweler's box on the dresser, then skimmed her hands along his sides to his trousers.

Angel pulled away when she tugged his shirt from his pants. "What are you doing?" He knew it was a stupid question – it was fairly obvious what she was doing.

"I'm giving you your present," Robin answered. "Me."

"This is an awfully big present."

"Angel, I'm not a little girl anymore. I'll be twenty next month. And I know what I want. You."

He shook his head. "No, you don't. You can't."

"I can and I do. I want you to be the first man I make love to. And I know it's a big step, but I know I'm ready to take it. With you."

"You can't just jump right into this." Angel was doing his best to change her mind.

"You don't think I've thought of everything? Prepared for it? I have." Opening her dresser drawer, she pulled out a rectangular box. "Angel, you have absolutely nothing to be worried about. I have everything we need."

He tried to find the nicest way to say what he had to say. "Robin-"

"No, don't 'Robin' me. Don't tell me that we can't. There's nothing stopping us. Angel, I'm standing right in front of you, your present is waiting for you to unwrap it."

"Don't do this. It's not right."

"Yes, it is. God, you don't have to be so noble, or so shy. I know you've done this before, and I also know you won't hurt me. And I'm not the least bit scared." She brought her hands to her dress, unbuttoning the buttons slowly, waiting for him to give in and take over.

Angel pulled her hands away. "Stop it!" Half of her dress was open, her black bra clearly visible to him. To his own surprise, he wasn't even the least bit tempted to see what was hidden underneath.

"What's wrong?"

"I don't want to do this! Look, I'm sorry, Robin, but I can't make love to you. I really like you, I care about you a great deal, but I don't think we're ready to go that far yet. I just can't be with you like that."

She was confused. "Is it me? Did I do something wrong?"

He caressed her chin with his fingers. "Not at all. You may be ready, but I'm not."

"I thought tonight was going to be about you and me. We're supposed to be together tonight. I wanted to make love to you tonight."

"I'm sorry I ruined your plans," Angel apologized. "I'm not ready. It's too soon."

Robin bit back tears. "It's okay. If you're not ready, I guess I can't force you. But I meant what I said; I want you to be my first."

He couldn't think of a reply. Instead, he kissed her lightly on the lips. "I better get going."

"Thank you for my present. I'll wear it all the time; I'll never take it off. I love it. Beautiful and thoughtful."

"So was yours. I only wish I could have accepted it."

"Angel?" He turned around to look at her. "Merry Christmas."

"You, too. Don't forget to call me. I'll see you when you get back."

He walked out the door. Halfway down the hall, Angel turned to glance at Robin's closed door. The hurt in her eyes was so apparent when he'd said no; it almost killed him to deny her what she desired. But he couldn't, just as he couldn't tell Robin the real reason he couldn't sleep with her. How do you tell your girlfriend you can't imagine waking up next to her in the morning? And moreover, how do you tell her that you're hopelessly in love with your best friend?

At two forty-five Christmas Eve, Buffy guided herself down the church aisle. She looked all around for Angel and his family, but there were so many people that she couldn't find them.

"Buffy!" a voice to her left whispered loudly.

She looked toward the left where the voice had come from, finding Mr. and Mrs. Osborne, along with Angel, seated in the pew a few rows behind her. Smiling, she made her way to them, having to climb over the other people in their pew.

Angel gazed his eyes over her, taking in her beauty. She left her blonde hair down, letting it flow to her shoulders. He didn't think he'd ever seen her look so pretty, even on Homecoming. Dressed in a long navy blue skirt and a white blouse, Buffy managed to take his breath away.

"Hi. Sorry I'm late," she said, apologizing.

"No problem. I'm glad you came. Church always bores me and it's nice to have someone here to keep me company."

Mrs. Osborne bent down, turning her head toward her son and Buffy, giving the young woman a pleasant smile. "You made it."

"I wouldn't have missed it. Thanks for inviting me along."

Angel moved over so Buffy would have enough room to sit down. It was a tight squeeze, but she found the room. Her right leg pressed against his, and he closed his eyes at her touch. With each passing day, it became harder and harder to suppress how he felt for her. He knew that it was only a matter of time before the truth came out.

"I hope you like ham," Mrs. Osborne said to Buffy when they arrived back at the Osborne home after the church service. "That's what I made for dinner."

"I love it. I'm not a very picky eater. Just put a plate in front of me and I'll be sure to eat all of it. Guaranteed."

She nodded. "Great. I wish I could do that. After having two children, my figure is shot to hell. But you have such a tiny little figure, Buffy. Where do all those calories go?"

Buffy blushed slightly. "I work out."

"Tae Bo?"

"No. Just regular exercise."

"Ah, to be young again. Why don't you and Angel go do whatever it is that you two do while I finish up with dinner," Angel's mother suggested.

Angel took Buffy's arm. "We can go in my room and talk."

Mr. Osborne gave his son a look of warning. Angel shook his head, knowing what his father was thinking. No, he'd never do that to her.

Angel closed his bedroom door behind him. Buffy had a seat on his bed, looking expectantly at him. "Aren't you going to sit down?" she asked.

"Yeah." He took a seat on the other end of the bed, keeping his distance from her.

"Something's wrong with you, I can tell. What is it?"

"Nothing."

Buffy shook her head. "No, you have 'something' face. Did something happen with Robin the other night?" Horrible images flashed through her mind, the worst being an image of Angel and his girlfriend lying naked in her bed. She didn't know why it bothered her, but it did.

"Yeah, sort of."

She raised her eyebrows. "Sort of? You're not being very forthcoming with the details, Angel. What happened?"

"We went out for dinner and then went back to her dorm room, where we exchanged presents. She loved the locket, by the way. She wanted me to say thank you to you for picking it out. But her present to me…well, it wasn't what I expected from her."

"Good or bad?" she wanted to know.

"You know what, I'm not even sure." He paused before telling her. "Buffy, she wanted me to make love to her."

Shifting uncomfortably on the bed, Buffy bit her lip. "Oh." She couldn't ask him the question that was plaguing her thoughts. Truth was, she didn't know if she wanted to hear the answer.

"I know what you're thinking, and the answer is no. I didn't sleep with Robin."

"That wasn't–"

"Yes, it was. The old me would not have hesitated to take her to bed, not a second's hesitation. But this me couldn't. She had everything prepared. We had privacy, protection, everything we'd need. And I couldn't bring myself to even touch her. Do you know why, Buffy?"

"I don't know. Maybe because you're different from the way you used to be."

Shaking his head, Angel disagreed. "No. Because I'm not in love with her. That isn't even the worst part. No, the worst part is that I couldn't imagine spending the night with her. My own girlfriend, and I couldn't see myself in her bed the next day. I didn't want to wake up the next morning with Robin lying next to me. Her face wasn't the one I wanted to see when I woke up. Is that horrible of me?"

"I don't think it is. You looked temptation right in the eye and said no. Despite how much it must have hurt Robin, I'm proud of you. Most guys wouldn't have had the courage to do what you did."

Angel snorted. "Yeah. I'm a real stand-up guy," he said sarcastically.

"Do you two want to open your presents now or wait until later?" Mr. Osborne asked Buffy and Angel after they'd all finished eating dessert.

Glancing at one another, they both replied at the same time. "Now."

"You guys go in the family room and distribute the presents and I'll bring out the cookies and apple cider," Mrs. Osborne said to them.

Angel hung back while Buffy and his father left the room. "Do you need any help, Mom?"

Smiling at her son, she shook her head. "No, honey, everything is taken care of. Did you put Buffy's present under the tree with the rest of them?"

"Yes, I did. Do you think she'll like it?" he asked in a worried tone.

"Of course she will. It's beautiful, just like her. I adore that little girl just as much as you do."

He planted a kiss on his mother's cheek. "I highly doubt that."

Walking out of the kitchen, Angel entered the family room in time to see his father handing a pile of presents to Buffy, who sat on her knees a few feet from the tree.

"These are for you," David Osborne told her.

"All of these? You didn't have to."

"Joanne and I wanted to. You've become like a daughter to us these past few months, Buffy. You're a member of this family, like it or not. And we'll spoil you just like we spoil our son."

She was speechless. "I don't know what to say."

"How about nothing and open your presents?" Angel suggested.

"You know, you've got a pretty big pile here, too, buddy," she teased.

Mr. Osborne sighed. "Both of you shut up and open your presents."

After Angel's mother returned with a plate of cookies and four steaming mugs of hot apple cider, they all began to open their gifts. It took them an hour to open all of them, each person having at least five presents to unwrap. Mr. and Mrs. Osborne gave Buffy a black sweater, a fifty dollar gift certificate to the Sunnydale Mall, a leather jacket, a pair of opal earrings and several CDs that Angel picked out.

"You went to too much trouble," Buffy said. "Really, you didn't need to buy me anything."

"We wanted to. Come on, you have one more present left to open," Mrs. Osborne pointed out.

It was a long box, small in comparison to the others she'd opened that night. Looking at the card, it said TO: BUFFY. FROM: ANGEL. With all eyes on her, she opened her last gift.

"Oh my god, Angel, you shouldn't have." He'd bought her a gold charm bracelet with a gold heart charm dangling from it.

"Do you like it?"

"It's beautiful. Of course I do."

He grinned. "Read the inscription on the charm," he requested.

Turning the heart charm over, Buffy read what he had inscribed on it. In small letters was written MY HEART BELONGS TO YOU – ANGEL. Her lower lip quivering, she said, "That's so sweet."

Only Angel and his father were aware that the words were the truth. "I'm glad you like it. See, now you have my heart forever."

She wrapped her arms around him. "Angel, I love it. Will you put it on me?"

Taking the bracelet out of its box, he gingerly placed it on her wrist, securing the clasp so it wouldn't fall off. His fingers lingered for a moment before he put his hands back in his lap.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

They sat around the tree for another hour, Angel's parents telling Buffy stories from when Angel was a young boy. She couldn't help but laugh when they told her about him, at age eight, getting up at the crack of dawn and falling asleep under the tree with presents surrounding him.

"I better get going before Mom sends out the National Guard," Buffy said at eleven o'clock.

"Do you have to go?" Mrs. Osborne pouted. "You can stay over if you'd like to. There's an extra bed in Angel's room that you can sleep in."

Mr. Osborne feared the outcome of his son sharing a bedroom with Buffy. "If Buffy's mother wants her home, maybe it's better that she go."

"I do appreciate the offer, but I can't stay. Thank you so much for having me over, and for all the wonderful gifts you gave me."

"You know you're welcome over anytime, and as we said before, you're family to us, Buffy. Have a Merry Christmas and tell your mother the same."

"I will."

Angel stood up when Buffy did. "I'll walk you out."

He followed her to the front door, holding it open for her. "Thanks for coming tonight. Christmas was actually fun this year."

Glancing up, she grinned mischievously. "Are you going to kiss me or not?"

"Huh?" Her question took him by surprise.

Buffy pointed to the door frame. "Mistletoe."

"I guess I have to then, don't I?"

"It's tradition."

"Can't break tradition, now can I?" Leaning down, he pressed his lips gently over hers. His heart raced and his palms felt sweaty. Kissing a girl never had that kind of an affect on him. Not that Buffy was just any girl. He had to blink several times after he pulled away from her. "That was…"

"Really nice," she finished. "Thank you for the bracelet."

"And thank you for the watch."

She smiled at him. "So, tell me, Angel. Did you get everything you asked for this Christmas?"

Angel shook his head. "No. The one thing I want more than anything still eludes me. Not that I expected to get it. It's not something you can buy."

"What did you want?"

"Never mind. It's something I'll never have anyway."

"You never know. You might find it under your tree tomorrow morning."

"I don't think so, Buffy. You can't giftwrap what I want with a big red bow and put it under the Christmas tree." 'How do you tie a bow around love?'

"Ah, the annual Sunnydale High Winter Carnival," Angel said on New Year's Eve when he and Buffy arrived at the school grounds. "Same faulty rides and freaky people year after year. It's nice to know some things never change."

Buffy frowned. "You didn't have to come with me, Angel. You could have said no when I invited you."

"I'm only teasing. The carnival isn't that bad. I have somewhat fond memories of this place."

She laughed. "I'll bet. You probably brought one of your many girlfriends here and had sex with her somewhere on the grounds."

"Actually, she was running one of the game booths and we did it in the woods behind the gymnasium during her half-hour break," he told her with a straight face.

Her jaw dropped. "You did *what*?"

Angel took her hand in his. "It was a joke, Buffy. I never did that."

She hit him across the chest with her free hand. "You really had me going! You are such a jerk, Angel."

"Sorry. No, back in high school, the guys on the football team would come here and make fun of it all."

"Is that why you're here now? To make fun of it?"

He shook his head. "Nope. I came because I want to have a good time tonight. Besides, it gives me an excuse to go out with you."

"As if you need one. Pretty soon, people will start to talk," she said with a sly grin.

Shrugging his shoulders, Angel replied, "So, let them."

They walked inside the tent that housed the booths and game tables. "What do you want to do first?" Buffy asked.

"It doesn't matter to me. Whatever you want to do."

"Ferris Wheel or Bumper Cars?"

Angel considered his two options. "Ferris Wheel."

On their way over to the Ferris Wheel, Cordelia stepped in their path. "Angel, I had no idea you were going to be here. If I'd known, I would have worn something nicer than this old thing," she said, blatantly flirting with him.

Buffy inwardly groaned, feeling underdressed in comparison to the tall brunette. While the Slayer wore a black turtleneck and a pair of jeans, Cordelia had chosen a pair of tight black pants and a royal blue sweater. As usual, she looked stunning.

"Buffy invited me."

Cordelia ignored his statement. "Wanna go on the Ferris Wheel with me? We can get to know each other better."

"Not tonight, Cordelia. I told you, I came here with Buffy. She and I are headed to the Ferris Wheel ourselves," he told her.

It didn't deter the wealthy brunette. "My sympathies for your choice of companions. I'll be running the kissing booth in an hour. It's only three tickets, but I won't charge you if you stop by."

"Uh-huh. Nice seeing you."

"She was coming on pretty strong," Buffy commented when she and Angel reached the line for the Ferris Wheel.

"Too strong for my liking."

"So, are you going to stop by and visit her?" she asked.

He scoffed. "Hardly. She's too stuck up and pushy for my liking."

"Next!" the man running the ride called. "How many?"

"Two," Angel answered.

They sat down in the seat and the man closed and secured the bar. The ride began its journey upward, gaining speed as it went along. From the top, Buffy looked down at the lights of the town. It seemed just like any other small town – peaceful, tranquil and oblivious to the dangers all around.

"Have you spoken to Robin lately?" Buffy wanted to know.

Angel shook his head in response. "Not since Christmas Day. She and her family are spending the New Year in Aspen. I was invited, but I said no."

"You never told me that. Why didn't you go?"

"I guess I wanted to be around my family for the holidays instead of spending them with a bunch of strangers."

"Sure. That's why it's New Year's Eve and you're spending the night at my house with me, Willow and Oz. Yeah, quality time with your family. Ringing in the new year with us."

"What can I say? You made me an offer I couldn't refuse."

"Angel, you should be spending New Year's Eve with your girlfriend."

"I'd rather be here in Sunnydale with you than in Aspen, Colorado. I'm not a big fan of snow, you know that."

Buffy smiled, then laughed. "Don't you know that you're supposed to kiss the person you love at the stroke of midnight? Who are you going to kiss then?"

"I was planning on kissing you, actually." 'That way, I will be kissing the person I love.'

"Hey, look," Angel said an hour later. "They have a psychic here this year. I don't remember there ever being one before. We should go."

"They're cheesy. Just a bunch of bologna if you ask me."

"It'll be fun."

Buffy shook her head. "It's a waste of five tickets. Besides, I don't believe in that kind of stuff. People who can see things in their mind…ha! Yuck."

"Well, I never believed in vampires and demons until I met you, so I will believe pretty much anything."

"Angel…"

"Buffy, come on. I'll put in my own tickets for you. I'd like to find out what this Madame Drusilla has to say about my future."

She relented. "Fine, but I'm going under duress."

"It's all in good fun."

They walked into the tent at the far corner of the school grounds. A beautiful woman with long brown hair and a hypnotic smile greeted them. "Oh, what a pretty couple you two make," she said in a thick English accent.

"We're not–" Buffy began.

Angel interrupted her. "We'd like our fortunes read."

"Five tickets each, dearies."

He handed Madame Drusilla ten tickets, enough for both he and Buffy to have their fortunes told.

"Step inside," she said, motioning for Angel to follow her into a curtained-off room. He sat down at a small, round table in the center of the room.

She took a seat across from him. Madame Drusilla stared deeply into Angel's brown eyes. It made him rather uncomfortable, but he never looked away. It was as if he were under some kind of spell, he couldn't turn away from her gaze. After a minute, she asked for his hands, and she placed her palms over his, closing her eyes.

"You're in love, and it frightens you. Your feelings are so strong, yet you fear rejection. There's no need to worry so, you will attain what you want; the young woman waiting outside will be your true love."

"She doesn't love me back," Angel told her.

She put her pointer finger to her lips, quieting him. "Soon, you will know her love, and her gift to you will amaze you. But you won't feel as if you deserve it." She closed her eyes again. "There will be hurt and heartache, Angel. Your heart will be broken, though fear not your love, she will be yours."

"H-How did you know my name?" he asked. "I never said it."

"You are her angel; her knight in shining armor." Her head rolled from side to side. "Ooh…I see happiness in your future. Not just in love. You'll have everything you want…snow…I see you playing football in the snow…millions of people watching you as you ask her to be yours for all time…I hear them cheering when she says yes. Angel, all of your dreams come true."

He stood up, creeped out by what Madame Drusilla fortold. "T-Thank you."

Angel practically ran out of the room, but he collected himself when he reached Buffy again. "Your turn."

"Are you okay?"

Nodding, he replied, "Yeah."

Buffy went inside. "Have a seat, love," Madame Drusilla softly demanded.

She did the same exact thing that she had done to Angel only five minutes earlier. Buffy, however, remained skeptical. Psychics were just plain weird to her. And she doubted what the woman had to say. What were the chances that she could tell her future? Slim to none, as far as Buffy was concerned.

"You have been hurt by the men in your life. They all leave you, including your father. You haven't heard from him in months; you think he doesn't care about you anymore, but he does. My dear, there is one man who never wants to leave you; he wants to be by your side forever. But yet you close your heart to love, and to the man who loves you. It needs to be open for his arrival.

"A man has given his heart to you and you wear it on your sleeve for all to see," she said to Buffy, pointing to the charm bracelet Angel gave her for Christmas. "My dear Buffy, I see such love in your future. By next month, it will all come to a boil. Your cup overfloweth, brimming with love from a man you never thought could have had such feelings for you. You'll know his love in every way imaginable. Emotionally, spiritually; but it won't be until you know his love physically that you'll realize you feel the same for him.

"It won't be easy, but his love is truer than any other. He will hurt you, remember that he loves you. He wants to be with you forever. Don't fight it."

Buffy raised her eyebrows. "Uh-huh. I'll keep that in mind. Thanks for the words of warning, but I'm going now."

Angel was waiting for her when she exited the room. "That was real fun, Angel," she commented sarcastically. "That lady was nuts!"

"I don't think so. She knew exactly what's going on with me." 'Dead on.'

"Madame Drusilla seems to think I'm going to find love in January, and that I'll know physical love. Whatever she meant by physical love."

"Physical love is sex, Buffy," he said to her.

Buffy shrugged. "Sure. Like I'm going to hop into bed with some guy just because he says he loves me. Not likely. I'm not a slut, I don't sleep around."

"Nobody said you were. Maybe what she said is true, you'll fall in love with someone who feels the same way about you."

"Some guy out there somewhere is going to sweep me off my feet and into his bed? I wouldn't let it happen. Face it, there isn't some guy out there mooning over me, pining away for my unrequited love."

Angel grimaced. "Yes, there is," he said under his breath, too soft for even Buffy to hear.

"This past month has just flown by. I can't believe you're going back to school tomorrow morning," Mrs. Osborne said at the dinner table on January seventeenth. Tears formed in the corners of her eyes.

Angel sighed sadly. His mother always cried the day before he left for school. "I'll only be three miles away, Mom. You make it sound like I'm flying back to Notre Dame or something. I'm still going to be here in Sunnydale."

"I think your mother has grown quite accustomed to having you home these past few weeks," his father commented. "We both have."

"Why do you have to live in the dorms? You can live here and stay in your old room."

"Because my scholarship pays for me to dorm there. I like the privacy and the responsibility of being on my own. Mom, you never had a problem with it before, why is my living in the dorms such an issue now?"

She sniffled. "You're growing up so fast, Angel. It seems like only yesterday that you were starting kindergarten, holding on to my leg and begging to stay at home with me. Now you don't even want to stay at home. Pretty soon you'll be moving out and getting married and starting your own family."

"Can you say jumping the gun? I'm not getting married anytime in the near future," Angel told her. "And kids? Don't think it's going to happen."

"My baby's growing up; you're not my little angel anymore. You're a grown man." She broke down and sobbed.

Mr. Osborne turned to his son, who stared at his mother in shock and dismay. "Maybe you better leave the room before your mother really loses it."

Angel nodded, then carried his empty plate to the sink. Taking a look back at his parents, he felt a pang of guilt when he saw his mother dabbing her eyes with a napkin. His leaving was breaking her heart, and Angel hated seeing his mother so sad. She'd already mourned the loss of her oldest son; Angel moving back to campus was hurting her even more.

Inside his bedroom, he began packing his clothes for the move back to the dorms. Almost mechanically, he threw jeans, t-shirts, sweats, sweaters, socks, underwear and shoes into the four suitcases that lay on his bed. His heart wasn't in it; Angel dreaded returning to the UC Sunnydale campus the next day.

Mr. Osborne knocked on the door, opening it slightly to see his son packing his things. "Mind if I come in?"

"Not at all."

In the month that Angel had been home for Christmas vacation, he and his father struck up a father-son relationship that never existed before. For the first time since Brandon's death thirteen years earlier, Angel and David Osborne felt comfortable around one another.

"How's Mom doing?" Angel asked.

"She's upset. Your mother doesn't want you to go; she's afraid of losing you for some strange reason. They call it the empty nest syndrome."

"I'll be home every weekend. It's not like she'll never see me."

Mr. Osborne shrugged. "Tell that to her."

Angel took a deep breath. "I've been doing a lot of thinking these past few days. I haven't been the world's greatest son to you and I haven't been fair to either of you. Ever since I became a teenager, I have pushed you and Mom away and acted like a self-centered jerk. And I'm sorry for all the hurt I've caused."

"You don't need to apologize."

"Dad, I want to move back home for my last year of school. I want to get to know my family before it's too late."

"This is your home as much as it is ours. We'd love to have you back."

Angel slumped down on his bed. "You know what? I don't want to go back to school tomorrow."

"Nervous?"

He nodded. "Not about school itself, though. I…Robin comes back tomorrow and I still don't know what I'm going to do about her."

"You've had a month to think about it, Angel. I would've thought you'd have come to some kind of a decision."

"I did, too."

Mr. Osborne sat down next to his son. "Well, what does you heart tell you to do?"

Angel bit his lip. "I care about Robin. She's a terrific girl; sweet and funny and nice, and I know I should love her. But I don't. Dad, I don't want to hurt her if I can help it, especially for no reason."

"You do have a reason. Are you still in love with Buffy?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Then how can you say you have no reason? I'd say that's a very good reason. You're not in love with her, you shouldn't be seeing her if you don't."

"Maybe so, but what if I break it off with Robin and then tell Buffy how I feel and she says she doesn't feel the same way? I'll have made a complete fool of myself for nothing, losing a girl I, one day, could love. God, I don't know what to do. My head tells me to do one thing and my heart says something different. I'm so confused."

Mr. Osborne put his arm around Angel. "I can't make your decisions for you, son. You have a difficult choice to make; I don't envy you. It's not easy to choose between two such unique women."

"Do you like Robin?"

"I've only met her once, but she came across as being a very nice young lady."

"And Buffy?"

"I like her a great deal. She's like family."

Angel swallowed the lump in his throat. "If you could look ten years into the future, who would you see by my side? Buffy or Robin or someone else?" he asked.

He closed his eyes, a mental picture forming inside his head. It was Christmas, and he and Joanne were greeting Angel and his wife at the door, a young baby boy in their daughter-in-law's arms. Angel's wife grinned, secure with her husband's arms around her.

"I can only see Buffy."

"So do I. I think I know what I have to do."

At one the next afternoon, as Angel was unpacking his belongings in his dorm room, a knock sounded at his door. When he opened it, he found Robin standing on the other side. "Robin," he said simply.

"Angel!" she returned, throwing her arms around his neck, pressing her lips to his. "I wasn't sure if you were going to be here. But I decided to take my chances anyway."

"It's great to see you," he told her, preparing for what he had to say. "We have to talk."

She didn't remove her arms from him. "This month has been hell not seeing you. Angel, you have no idea how much I missed you."

"I missed you, too."

"We haven't spoken since Christmas Day. How was your New Year's? What did you do?"

Angel thought back to that night two and a half weeks prior. It almost brought a smile to his face, but he fought it.

"The ball is going to drop in fifteen seconds," Buffy said, standing on top of her sleeping bag in the middle of the living room.

Willow grinned. "This is so exciting. For the first time ever, I'll have someone to kiss at midnight."

Oz put his arm around the redhead. "I'm pretty excited about that myself. How 'bout you, Angel?" He knew that his cousin would be kissing Buffy at midnight.

"Whole new year, whole new world full of possibilities. What's not to look forward to? You never know what's going to happen."

"Okay, this is it," Buffy exclaimed. "Five! Four! Three! Two! One! Happy New Year!"

Oz pulled his girlfriend into his arms, kissing her. Angel looked at Buffy, not sure if she wanted him to do the same. He'd told her earlier at the carnival that he planned to kiss her, but didn't know if she'd let him. Taking a deep breath, he moved in front of her, slowly bringing his lips to hers.

He never deepened it, despite the fact that he desperately wanted to. Buffy placed her hands on his shoulders, using them as leverage to lift herself closer to his mouth. For some reason, she wanted it to go on forever. While part of her craved more of his touch, another part told her to stop. 'Angel has a girlfriend. I can't keep kissing him like this.'

"Happy New Year," he whispered in her ear when their embrace broke.

"Happy New Year to you, too," Buffy replied.

"I stayed home with my parents," Angel lied, not wanting to tell Robin that he slept over Buffy's house New Year's Eve. "Nothing special."

"Well, mine sucked. I had to kiss my brother at midnight. I would much rather have kissed you. But hey, there's always next year."

'Next year?' "I told you, my parents wanted me to stay home with them. If I could have, I would have gone with you."

Robin nodded. "I know." Reaching into her purse, she pulled out a small package. "Since you wouldn't accept my other Christmas gift, I bought you something else. It's not as nice as the one you got me, but I thought of you when I saw it."

Angel opened the gift, finding a CD with songs by women rockers in the eighties, his favorite type of music. "Thank you. I like it."

"One of my favorite songs is on there. Will you dance with me to it?"

"I'd love to."

Robin took the CD from him, putting it in his CD player, programming it to number twelve. She wrapped herself in her boyfriend's arms as the song played.

When I find myself watching the time
I never think about all the funny things you said
I feel like, instead, love isn't near me now
I turn around in the still of the room
Knowing this is when I'm going to make my move
Can't wait any longer and I'm feeling stronger
But, oh
Just as I walk to the door I can feel your emotions
It's pulling me back, just a little more time to love you
I know, caught up in the middle I cry just a little
When I think of letting go
Oh, no, gave up on the riddle I cry just a little
When he plays piano in the dark

"What?" he asked.

She looked up at him, gazing into his eyes. "I love you."

"Robin–"

"You don't have to say it back, not if you aren't ready. Just dance with me."

'I really screwed up this time,' Angel said to himself. 'Robin isn't supposed to be in love with me.'

He holds me close like a thief of the heart
He plays a melody, born to tear me all apart
The silence is broken, no words are spoken
But, oh
Just as I walk to the door I can feel your emotions
It's pulling me back, just a little more time to love you
I know, caught up in the middle I cry just a little
When I think of letting go
Oh, no, gave up on the riddle I cry just a little
When he plays piano in the dark