I don't own any of the characters except Jacob the rest belong to Joss and Co. Please don't Sue!
As Buffy walked through the halls of Sunnydale High, her thoughts drifted to who else, but Angel. God how she missed him, his hair, and eyes, and don't forget his lips. She couldn't believe that it had been two months since the fateful night that destroyed his soul. Slowly but surely, she was moving on. "Hey Buff!" came a sugar-hyped male voice, "How's our favorite slayer doing?" Buffy turned to see her two bestfriends Xander and Willow standing before her with big grins on their faces.
"I was fine, but now I'm worried. Xander, it's 8 am, why are you so perky?" she asked feeling his forehead.
"No reason, just felt like going to school and not skipping classes today!" he replied with the same goofy grin. Buffy looked at Willow, who was rolling her eyes and tapping her foot.
"Sure Xan,when pigs fly!" she quipped.
"You know, I heard that a fleet of pigs took off from LAX this morning going full squeal ahead to Iowa!" he countered.
"Oh Xander, stop it!!" Willow and Buffy laughed.
"So, are we making a cameo at the Bronze tonight?" Willow asked.
"Oz and the band are playing!"
"Oh yeah, just the man's bestfriend I wanted to see!" Xander complained.
"Sure Wil," Buffy replied ignoring Xander's negativism toward Oz, "I'm free." The first period bell rang ending their conversation.
Later that night, at the Bronze, everyone was talking about this new kid that showed up the final hour of school. According to everyone he is a hottie. Buffy walked into the Bronze and saw Xander and Willow at the usual table and Xander was balancing a spoon on his nose.
"Hey guys!" Buffy greeted her friends.
"SHUSH! I'm about to break my record!" Xander mumbled! Willow and Buffy shared yet another look.
"So what's this I hear about the new boy? Is he pretty good eye candy?" Buffy asked.
"Ummm hmmm," Willow sighed her eyes glued to Oz on the stage, "A real dream boat!" Buffy chuckled and walked to get a drink at the bar.
"Diet Coke please," she asked. The boy sitting at the bar turned to her and said, "Diet Coke huh, I'll have that too!" he told the bartender, "So, since you inspired my drink today, why don't I introduce myself. I'm Jacob, but everyone calls me Jake." Buffy eyed him, but though what the heck,
"Buffy Summers," she replied.
"Well Buffy, I just moved here from Montana and I'm a senior at Sunnydale High." he continued on pressing for details.
"I'm a junior at Sunnydale." she replied. The more she studied him the more she couldn't deny that he was very good looking. Tall with blonde hair and brown eyes. Chisled features and really buff.
"Well, if you don't mind me being too forward, could you show me around Sunnydale and tell me all the do's and don'ts?" he asked. A little taken aback by his abruptness she was at a loss for words for a moment. Then she felt a tinge of regret about Angel. This was exactly what she needed, something new to throw her energy into, to help her move on.
"Sure, I'd love to show you around and be the welcoming commitee!" she exclaimed. As she introduced Jake to Xander and Willow she felt someone's eyes boring into her back, but when she looked, nothing was there...
The next day Buffy was keeping her promise and showing Jacob around school, "And this is the lovely cafeteria, don't get to close!" Buffy quipped waving her hand around.
Being busy showing Jake around sure was helping Buffy with her pain and moving on...away from Angel. They sat down at a table and started to eat their lunch.
"So Buffy tell me why a smart, funny, gorgeous girl like you doesn't have the guys banging your door down?" he asked.
"What makes you think that they don't?" she replied coyly.
He stared blankly at her and she sighed, "I did until recently, well, just one guy."
"If it's too tough to talk about, you don't have to." he said taking her hand from across the table. She grimaced as he took her hand, but didn't want him to let go.
"His name's Angel and things were complicated from the begining, with him being older than me, but then things seemed to get better. After about a month things got worse and he called it off." she blurted out, surprised she was sharing her most personal thoughts with an almost complete stranger.
She left out the key points about how and why they broke up. Jake just nodded and his finger started tracing the ring that Angel gave her. She jerked her hand away and folded it in her lap. He looked up surprised and gave her a quizzical look. She looked down and avoided his eyes.
"Ohhh, he gave it to you huh?" he asked. All Buffy could do was nod yes.
"Look Buffy, I know I'm coming on really strong and I'll back off if you want me to." he stated. Buffy looked up and locked eyes with him, "No, uh, no Jake. I really want to get to know you." she replied softly.
"Good, I'll help you forget all about what's his name!" he exclaimed standing up and offering his hand to her. Buffy looked up and smiled at him.
"I sure hope so Jake, I sure hope so." she thought to herself.
Buffy was left alone to her thoughts after lunch. She wanted to get over Angel so badly that it hurt her, but the pain of him not being with her was just as bad. "Why can't this just be an easy decision!" She thought. She looked down at the Claddagh ring she still wore and glanced across the courtyard where Jacob was talking to some of his friends. He gave a slight wave to her and went on talking. "You know what Buffy,"she told herself, "You can't live in the past. You have to move on." With those words in her conscience she boldly walked over to Jacob and pulled him aside.
"Hey Buf-," he was cut short by her lips pressing against his. As the kiss deepend, Buffy felt herself losing control. She didn't want to stop kissing Jacob, because the pain was subdued. But, the need for air brought the kiss to a halt.
"WOW!" Jacob breathed, "What was that for?" She looked into his eyes and said, "For starting over." He looked down at her and realization set in. He took her hand and they walked off toward the English room.
"Buffy are you sure this is such a good idea?" Willow asked sitting on her friend's bed. "I mean Angel isn't gonna like this." Buffy turned around from where she was trying on outfits for her date with Jacob. "You know what Will, I don't really give a darn what Angel likes or dislikes. It's my life and I'm gonna live it with out him!" She exclaimed.
"Good for you Buffy, but, what if Angel tries to do something to Jake?" Willow asked a note of fear raising her voice a notch. "Then I'll be there to kick Angel's ass." she said nonchalantly, "Which is better, the white or green?" she asked holding up two very revealing dresses.
"I like the green, the white is too easy to get dirty." She said her eyes skimming over the dresses.
"I agree. Wait till Jake sees me in this! He's gonna flip!" she squealed! It made Willow happy to see her friend so excited about something. Buffy had been so down since Angel's switch. But, sad in the same instant. She knew that Angel would always have a hold on her friend's heart and that Buffy couldn't give it to another man...ever. Willow just hoped that time would ease her bestfriend's pain.
Buffy was finally starting to be happy. She looked across the table at the gorgeous guy who devoted all his attention to her and wanted to be with her. But, somewhere in her heart, a part was hollow. Cordelia and Xander walked over to say hi and Jake greeted them. Buffy gave a smile, but suddenly felt like someone was staring at her. She tentively turned to look over her shoulder. "Angel!" she gasped. No one noticed her utterance of those five letters. Angelus stood no more than fifteen feet away from her with jealousy and vengeance in his eyes. Suddenly a smile spread across his face. Buffy was perplexed and horrified.
Angelus twittered his fingers to her and walked away. "This is not good," Buffy thought to herself.
When Jake dropped her off Buffy hesitantly went to her room and peeked in. "At least it's not trashed." she mused. Something was out of place though. She walked over to her dresser. There the picture of her and Jake was, though not as she left it. Jake was missing. Written in her rose lipstick across her mirror was "Two become One" As realization dawned on her, paralyzing fear set in. "Oh no," she whispered. Not hesitating for more than a second she grabbed her phone and quickly dialed Xander's number.
"Hello." came the slayerettes voice. "Xander...you have to come get me! It's an emergency!! HURRY!" she hung up before he could reply. Xander sat stunned on his bed.
"Okay, what just happened. Buffy plus phone plus hysterical equals ANGEL!" he yelled. Jumping off his bed he grabbed his mom's keys and ran out of his house.
"Buf.." came a voice. Buffy pulled a stake and spun around. "WILLOW!! OZ!!!!! I couldv'e killed you!" she cried as her trembling fingers dropped the stake. The couple was out walking and when they saw Buffy pacing, Willow knew something was up.
"What is it Buffy?" Willow asked picking up the stake for her blonde friend, "Is it Angel?"
"Who else would it be? He found out about Jake!" Buffy stated through her tears. "Well that means we should go there right? Oz asked. As soon as the words left his lips, Xander roared up in his mom's car.
"What is Angel doing now?" Xander asked worried. Buffy pushed Willow and Oz to the back seat,
"Get in! I'll explain on the way!" She only hoped she wasn't too late.
As the group raced to Jake's house across town all Buffy could do was pray that he was okay. She was hunched over with her elbows resting on her knees with her head in her hands.
"Buffy, it'll be okay, I'm sure it will." Willow said softly.
"Will, you said it yourself that Angel wasn't gonna like me moving on without him. We all know what he is capable of!" Buffy moaned. After what seemed like an eternity or blowing stop lights they finally reached Jake's house.
"Stay here and lock the doors okay. You all have crosses right?" Buffy asked them.
"Yeah, we all have one." Xander answered squeezing her hand. Buffy took a deep breath and ran up to the front door. Her heart was pounding as she rang the bell. Jake answered the door. Buffy threw herself into his arms, "I'm so glad you're alright!" she exhaled.
"I'm fine, why wouldn't I be?" he asked her.
"Let's go inside okay, we need to talk." Buffy said dreading what was to come. Jake moved aside to let her pass. They made there was to the living room.
"Okay, um, you know that guy Angel right? My ex-boyfriend." Buffy asked him.
"Only from what you've said." Jake replied.
"Well, he's having a problem moving on and he's really jealous. When I got home after our date tonight, I found the picture of you and me cut in half and you were missing." She gulped.
"Oh..." Jake mused.
"Just don't invite any tall, dark, and semi-handsome men in okay. He's very, very jealous. And I just don't know...wha..what I'd do without you!" Buffy cried. Jake took her in her arms and tried to quiet her cries.
"I'm fine, and Angel isn't here or will be here, so don't worry." Jake whispered. Buffy pulled away and one look into that tearstained face was all Jake could take before he enveloped her into a passionate kiss. Buffy felt herself being pulled away and didn't want it to end. But like all kisses it had to.
"I'd better go, my friends are waiting. Just remember don't invite him in okay!" Buffy pleaded.
"I swear on my grave!" Jake swore. As Buffy walked out she mused, "Grave, how foreboding is that?" She climbled in the car where Xander, Willow, and Oz sat.
"Is he okay?" Willow asked. Buffy turned around and smiled.
"Yeah, Will, he's just fine." She said. They rode the rest of the way in silence, but Buffy just couldn't shake the feeling that Angel wasn't just teasing. He was serious...DEAD serious.
As time passed without another threat against Jake from Angel, Buffy and Jake grew closer. They'd sit on the lawn at lunch, hold hands in the halls, and sneak kisses by their lockers. Buffy still knew that Angel was out there lurking and ready to pounce, but as her love grew for Jake her love for Angel began to die. Of course Buffy occasionally met up with Angel in the cemetery or in an alley and got to fight with him, but the pain she once felt when she kicked him or hit him was starting to fade. A couple of weeks after the first threat on Jake it was almost forgotten.
"So, are you going to the Bronze again tonight?" Jake asked Buffy.
"I don't know, it seems like we Bronze it a lot huh?" Buffy replied.
They were all alone on the grass in the quad.
"Buffy, you know our three month anniversary is next Tuesday and I just can't wait till then to give you this." Jake took Buffy's hand and handed her a small jewelers box. Buffy looked up into Jake's eyes and opened the box. A beautiful Opal ring with a square diamond on each side was nestled inside.
"Ohh my!" Buffy gasped. "Jake, I love it! It's so beautiful." She leaned over and gave him a lingering kiss.
"I'm so happy you like it. Put it on." Buffy went to put in on her left hand, but stopped short. The Claddagh ring Angel had given her sat on her finger. She was moving on, but taking off the ring had never entered her mind. It was a token of the love Angel had before he had changed and she had no desire to remove it. Jake saw her hesitation and took the ring out of its box. Took her right hand and slid it onto her ring finger. She looked up surprised and touched. He still understood she needed time and that she had loved Angel so much.
"A love like the one you and Angel had comes around once in a lifetime. Twice for you I hope." Jake whispered. Buffy's green eyes started to fill with tears. Tears of happiness, tears of sadness, and tears of love. A single tear slipped down her face and Jake brushed it away. Buffy moved closer to him and he held her close while she quietly sobbed. When she was finished crying, she looked at Jake and said, "Jake, luckily for me love has come around twice in my lifetime. Angel was my first love, but you are my true love. I'll never forget my love with Angel, because he taught me to be open to love and not fear it. And it is because of his love that I am able to love you the way that I do." Jake's own eyes filled with tears and he kissed her tenderly. The bell rang signaling the end of their precious moment.
Buffy walked home from school that day with her heart soaring. Reaching her house she quickly ran inside and found a note from her mom.
Buffy,
I had to go to Sacramento suddenly because of some problems up there with
your cousin Jessica. Nothing to be worried about, but she has to have her
sinus' operated on and Aunt Jan didn't want to be alone through it. Be
home next Thursday.
"Wow!" Buffy thought "A whole week to herself!" She picked up the phone and dialed Willow's number. "Will, mom's out of town for a week and you get to be my house guest!"
"Great! I'll tell my mom and I'll be right over." Willow screeched. As Buffy hung up the phone she suddenly got a chill up her spine. "Something was going to happen in this week and since we live on the Hellmouth, it can't be of the good." Buffy thought to herself. "Don't be silly! It's going to a fabulous week with Willow and the gang." Buffy tried to assure herself, but her gut told her something entirely different.
As Buffy was patroling the cemetary later that night while Willow was at her house her thoughts drifted to Jake. She wondered what he was doing and how he was doing it. It felt good to be infatuated with someone other than Angel.
"Angel." she sighed. Her thoughts shifted to her old boyfriend and tears sprang into her eyes.
"Oh no, don't cry!" a menacing voice said from behind her. She turned to look at Angelus and wondered how the creature before her had ever been the caring, gentle man she once loved. He was leaning against a tombstone and wagging his finger at her,
"Shouldn't let little old me affect you this way. Wait. Oh what the hell let it tear you apart!" he laughed. Buffy turned to go, but felt a hand on her arm. She shook it loose and whirled around. For a second she almost forgot that he was evil and wanted to destroy everything she stood for.
"Good to see I still have that affect on you." he growled his demeanor changing. Buffy pulled away and dropped into a fighting stance.
"Hahahaha, not tonight Slayer, I'm not in the mood...but soon I will be. And I won't come after you. I wonder what Jakey's blood type is?" he mocked her. He skulked away as her strength fell apart and she sank to the grass sobbing.
"Buffy! Get your sorry ass off the grass and pull yourself together. You have a lot to deal with right now!" she scolded herself. She stood up and wiped her face off.
"Soon is right Angel, except for one thing. I'm gonna be coming after you and I won't fold again!" she whispered into the cold night air.
Angel hadn't lived up to his threat on Jake's life, but he didn't the first time. He was just preparing. He sat in the warehouse, fully aware that he couldn't go outside because it was day. He had been having deep thoughts about Buffy recently. Mainly about the night he was reborn. He couldn't deny that she was indeed beautiful, but mortal and his enemy. "She'll never be able to kill me." he mused outloud. "I do wonder that if I kill her new boyfriend if she will get the guts to confront me." As he was thinking he looked down at the now turned around Claddagh ring. His thoughts shifted to the night on the docks when his former self almost confessed his feelings for Buffy. How she looked when he gave her the ring that matched his and explained it. With a growl he tore his eyes away from the ring. He got up and stalked toward his room in the factory, but one thought still plagued him, "I wonder how she still wears her ring?"
With a sigh, Buffy looked down at her ring. The opal shined brightly and the diamonds twinkled in the late afternoon sun. "I really need to go shopping for Jake after school today!" she exclaimed inwardly. She had sent Jake a daisy for their anniversary because her limited cash flow at that time didn't allow her an extravagant gift. Now, she had some more money from the babysitting she'd been doing. "I'll go to the mall with Willow after school and pick something out." she thought. Turning her attention back to class, she saw Jake smiling at her. She gave him a huge grin and looked away. Looking away caused the object on her left hand to glint in the sun. She looked down at her other ring. She felt a hand of ice grab her heart as she stared at the Claddagh ring. She had turned it around, but couldn't bring herself to take it off. She hadn't removed it since the night after she had received it. Her thoughts drifted back to that night and the way the moonlight danced on the water under the docks. She remembered how Angel had tried to tell her how he felt and how he didn't get the chance to finish. "If only those damn vamps hadn't have jumped us!" she thought angrily. "but," she reasoned, "you'd be just as miserable as you are now, because Angel would be far away from Sunnydale and you." Her heart argued with her conscience, "At least if he was far away, he wouldn't be evil and torment you from Angel's body." She knew deep inside that the day was going to come that she would have to look into her beloved's eyes and thrust a stake in his heart. The heart she owned for only a second. The bell rang bringing her out of her reverie. "Hey baby!" Jake said, walking over to her and sliding his arm around her waist.
"Hey honey." Buffy replied wrapping her own arm around him. She looked up into his eyes and all previous thoughts vanished from her mind.
"Did I tell you that I've been thinking of you?" he asked her as they walked out of class.
"Not within the last hour? But I'm always open to hear it! she giggled. "Ohhh! I almost forgot!"
"What's that?" he asked her. "Willow and Oz want to go to the movies and wanted us to double with them. Do you wanna go?" she said. They had reached her locker and were once again looking at eachother.
"Sounds like fun, what movie?" he asked her. "Now, don't go postal on me, but Willow and I want to see 'The Object of My Affection'*." Jake rolled his eyes and mock sighed.
"A chick flick! But, Oz and I crave an action movie! How about 'Lost in Space'*?" Buffy grinned and wrapped her arms around him, "Not playing! So, what do ya say. Jake, will you take me to the movies?" she asked him in a really high girlie voice.
"Well, as long as you promise to talk like that I'll take you!" he laughed. She burst out laughing and they headed off in search for Willow and Oz.
*Lost in Space and The Object of My Affection do not belong to me and no copyright infringement was intended!
Jake grinned as Buffy sighed contentedly as she snuggled into his shoulder. "This movie isn't half bad." he said to himself. Of course he would never say it outloud. As he twisted his and Buffy's hand together the more he grinned. "I can't believe this is me and I'm sitting in a dark movie house with the girl of my dreams next to me!" he exclaimed inwardly. Jake was suddenly overcome with a feeling of dread. He looked behind him and a guy he didn't know was staring at him and Buffy. Well, he was staring more at Buffy and the fact that she was practically in Jake's lap. He caught Jake's eye and his eyes narrowed as he got up and left. "Okay, what the hell was that all about?" he asked himself. Willow was just leaning into Oz's shoulder when she saw Jake turn to look around. She followed his gaze and almost choked on her popcorn. Angelus was sitting three rows back just staring and glaring at Buffy and Jake. "Oh oh, there he goes." Willow whispered as Angelus got up and walked out, never taking his eyes of Buffy. "Whatever games Angel was playing, this move can not be a good one." she thought. Buffy and Jake had just said good night to Willow and Oz and were headed home. They rode most of the way in silence until Jake broke it. "Buffy, um, you know that the prom is coming up right?" Buffy looked at him and beamed.
"Is it that time of the year already?" she asked. "Too bad. I don't have a date." He caught onto what she was hinting at. "Buffy Summers, will you go to the prom with me?" he asked really seriously. She just beamed at him again, "I thought you'd never ask!" she replied. He reached for her hand across the console and she gladly offered him hers. Before they knew it they were already at her house. "Well, here we are." he said. She looked sad, but still a little giddy from her recent invite.
"Walk me to the door?" she asked him. He nodded and got out of the car. As he opened the door for her he felt another chill race up his spine. She got out of the car and took his hand. Noticing his hesitation she paused, "Jake, what is it?" she asked concerned. He looked into the shadows and shook his head. "I don't know Buffy, I just can't put my finger on it." "Well, well, well..." came the sneering voice that Buffy did not want to hear. Turning quickly she shoved Jake into his car,
"Do not get out or invite him in for any reason!" she screamed. Jake just nodded wondering why Buffy was acting like a crazy person. "Buffy." Angelus sneered, "Out socializing? On a school night? What would Mother say?"
"Angel." Buffy took the same tone as his, "Out without Drusilla? What happened? Poor thing eat a stake that didn't agree with her?" He was instantly infuriated at the mention of Drusilla's name.
"You know what Buffy, I came here to talk to you. Well, let's be honest. I came here to kill you. But seeing how you have company maybe someother time." he replied back. Buffy sighed, "Not the best comeback, but it'll do." Remembering Jake, she turned around and waved to him. He stood up out of the moon roof.
"Was that Angel?" he asked. "Yup, that was Angel, well, I think you should go and call me when you get home okay?" she told him. He nodded and blew her a kiss. She watched him drive off. Hurriedly she ran into her room. "What was up with Angel tonight?" she asked herself. "He's been leaving Jake pretty much out of the threats lately." Brushing those thoughts aside, she had a prom dress to buy!
"Will, do you like the red or the blue?" Buffy asked holding up two dresses. Her and Willow were prom dress shopping at the mall. Oz had asked Willow to go so they had two dresses to buy. "Actually Buffy, I liked the white." Willow replied walking over to her. "Really? I had mixed emotions about it." Buffy countered now holding the white dress. It was a halter top silk gown. "It kind of washes me out." "Well...what about this!" Willow exclaimed holding up a long black dress. It was silk and had a high neckline and the back was a sheer gauzy material with embroidered black designs. "Wow. That's really beautiful." Buffy said mesmerized. Willow handed her the dress, "Go try it on silly!" she pushed. Buffy walked back to the dressing room and stripped off her clothes. Pushing the dress over her head she felt the cool silk sent shivers down her spine. Walking out of the dressing room she did a little twirl for Willow. "Oh Buffy! It's so pretty!" Willow breathed. "That's the one!" Buffy smiled and looked at herself in the mirror. "It is gorgeous. But how much?" she asked looking at the tag. "One hundred-fifty dollars!" "A little pricey, but your mom gave you her credit card." Willow reasoned. "The gallery has been raking in the money. What the hell!" she concluded. She went back into the dressing room and removed the dress. "Now Willow, it's your turn." Buffy said. "I've already found it!" Willow exclaimed holding up a cream-colored strapless dress. "Wow Willow! That is really fabulous! Go try it on!" Buffy insisted. Willow emerged from the dressing room a few moments later. The dress fit her perfectly. The white contrasted her red hair nicely. It was form fitting and not much above the knee. "How much?" Buffy asked critically. "Ninety bucks!" Willow smiled. "You are the one to sniff out a good sale!" The girls giggled all the way to the cash register. After they'd paid for the dresses the headed for the food court. They were almost to a table when Buffy was sneaked up on from behind. She let lose a yelp and was about to elbow the guy when a familiar laugh stopped her. "Jake! You jerk, you scared me half to death!" Buffy exclaimed catching her breath. "Sorry. So what are you two doing?" he apologized. "Prom dress shopping, what about you?" Willow answered. "Oh, getting my tux from the formal store." he said holding up his dress bag. "And from the looks of it you bought your dresses." "Wanna see mine?" Buffy asked hopefully. "Sure." he answered. Buffy unzipped the dress bag and pulled the dress out. "Wow Buffy! I'm gonna have to beat up every guy who looks at you!" he marvelled. "What about you Willow?" Willow took out her dress. "You two a