"Angel, look at how cute those puppies are.  Don't you think we should get one?" Buffy asked as they walked through the mall hand in hand.  Buffy had dragged them to the pet store and proceeded to squeal and coo over every animal.  Angel looked at the puppies with a doubtful expression.

"We moved in four days ago and you want a pet already?" Angel asked, scrutinizing the dogs.  They either barked excitedly or looked up with sad expressions on their faces.  Angel wondered if Buffy came here to study them and perfect her own puppy dog face, which had proved lethal.  Angel couldn't help but give in when she had that expression on.  She was using it now and Angel was determined to not let it affect him.

"C'mon, honey.  They want good homes!" Buffy pleaded, frowning when she realized Angel wasn't falling for her begging act.  She turned it up, pouting her lips and making doe eyes at him.  Angel didn't budge.

"I'm not paying eight hundred dollars for a dog when there are tons sitting at the animal shelter waiting to be adopted," Angel said, balancing the bags he carried so he could cross his arms.

"So we'll go adopt one.  Pwease?" Buffy asked.

"I don't know, Buffy.  Who's gonna walk it when I get a job?"

"We'll get a kennel for it or something.  At least think about it," she said.  Angel reluctantly nodded.

"We'll see," he said as he turned away from the puppies and began to walk out the store.  Buffy gave them one more look before following her boyfriend out of the store.

"You sound like my mom," she scowled at him.

"Just let me get used to the idea," Angel said, gazing into her hazel eyes.  She melted and gave him a smile.

"I think that can be arranged," she said, leaning up for a kiss.  She was rewarded and stood on tiptoe to get closer to her boyfriend.

They cruised around the mall for a few hours, looking for the little things they needed for their house.  They had come to the mall almost every day, remembering things they had forgotten to buy.  As Angel looked at the packages they had, he knew they were pretty much done.

Walking past Victoria's Secret, Angel stared for a second at the huge pictures of models in lingerie and gave Buffy a look.  "Someday I'm getting you to model that for me," Angel said hungrily.  Buffy smiled.

"I look forward to it," she said sexily.  Angel groaned softly.

"Why must you torment me?" he wondered aloud as they moved away from the store.  Buffy giggled.

"Because I can," she replied. Finished with shopping, they climbed into Joyce Summersı car.  Angel had borrowed it to drive himself and Buffy to the mall.  He had purchased a car--Buffy had no knowledge of it--and it would be delivered on Monday.  He glanced over at his girlfriend, who sat singing along softly to the radio, and love swelled in him.  Buffy felt his eyes on her and she turned her head to look at him.

"What?" she asked.

"Do you have any idea how beautiful you are?" Angel asked, alternating looking at the road and his girlfriend.  She blushed.

"I should, you tell me every day.  It's a wonder my ego isn't the size of Cordelia's," Buffy laughed.  Angel leaned over when they pulled up to a traffic light for a lingering kiss that was cut short by the honking behind them.  Angel detached his lips from Buffy's and hit the gas.

"Why can't we still be on vacation?" Buffy whined as she stood in the kitchen that morning, munching on a bagel and grumbling about school.  Angel looked at her, amused.  "What're you smiling about?  What're you even doing up?  You should be unconscious, like in the sleeping sense," she said as she brought her plate to the sink to rinse it out before placing it in the new dishwasher.

"I gotta start looking for a job," Angel reminded her.  She grinned.

"I can't believe we're standing in our house, talking about you getting a job.  A month ago you were Mr. Baddie and now you're taking up just as much oxygen as me," she said as she kissed him before running upstairs to brush her teeth and hair.  A horn honked impatiently outside as she sailed back down the stairs and gave Angel a lingering kiss before rushing out to Cordeliaıs car.  Angel stood in the doorway with a smile on his face as Buffy blew him a kiss from the front seat and waved until she was out of sight.

"That was fun," she said sarcastically as the gang assembled on the front steps after school.

"Yeah, in the not any was had sense," Xander snipped.  Buffy leaned back against the step, soaking up rays.

"I thought today was pretty up there on the fun scale," Willow said from her place between Oz's legs.  They all turned to look at her.  "Have you guys been practicing that?" she demanded.

"I, for one, miss Spring Break.  I was at the mall everyday.  My credit card has a hole in it," Cordelia said.  Xander gave her a look.

"Was there a half-priced sale or something?  Buy half the material for half the price?" Xander asked, surveying her outfit, which today was a miniskirt and light purple tank top.  She leered at him.

"As if you mind," she retorted.

"Hey, I wasnıt complaining or anything, but if you need the extra money for sleeves, just ask," he said.  She rolled her eyes.

"Hey Cordy, hanging with your cool friends?" Harmony's squeaky voice asked from behind the group.  Cordelia groaned and sat up.

"No, just the ones who have a higher IQ than fruit flies," she said sweetly.  Harmony looked at her, taken aback.  The other members of the 'cool' clique gaped.  Harmony stared in fury for a second, then her gaze shifted to the road.

"Now *that* is something to bring home to Mom and Daddy," she whistled, smiling coyly.  Buffy swung her head around to stare at Angel as he opened his car door and got out.  She looked on in shock as he locked the door to the black BMW convertible and made his way to the steps with a smile on his face.  Harmony fluffed her hair and got ready to walk up to him as Buffy launched herself into his arms for a kiss.  She knew Harmony was watching, so she jumped and wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck, kissing his hungrily.  He instinctively held her in place with his arms wrapped tightly around her waist.  After about a minute she broke off, gasping for breath.  He gave her a surprised look.

"You should go to school more often," he grinned as he reluctantly set her down.  She grinned up at him.

"I had to see if Harmony's head would explode when she saw us kissing," Buffy giggled.  She suddenly remembered Angel's car.  "What's with the new wheels?"

"You like?" he asked, stepping aside to give her another look.  "I came across it in the paper.  It's a '94, but it's in great shape."

"Obviously.  It must've cost an arm and a leg," she said, going over to inspect the new car.  Angel wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her neck.  "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Wanted to surprise you," he said, his voice muffled.  Buffy turned and led Angel back over to her friends.  Harmony stood, still sputtering.

"Harmony.  You're letting the air from your brain escape.  Be careful, your head might deflate.  Please deprive us of your presence," Buffy said.  Harmony shot her an evil look before turning on her platforms and walking the opposite way, flunkies in tow.

"Buffy, I think we should trade boyfriends," Cordelia said, eying the Beamer.  Buffy laughed and tightened Angel's hold on her waist.

"*So* not gonna happen," she said.  She felt something rubbing against her ankle and looked down to see a tiny kitten.  The poor thing was skinny and its fur was sticky.  Buffy detached herself from Angel's arms and picked up the black bundle.

"Careful, Buffy, it might be a demon," Xander said.  Buffy gave him an incredulous look and gently stroked the kitten.  It meowed once and began to purr, settled in the crook of her arm.

"She must have no home," Buffy said as she smiled at the kitten, who had promptly fallen asleep.  She glanced around and saw no owner in sight, so she looked at Angel with hopeful eyes.

"I don't know, baby..." he said cautiously.  He had to admit the kitten was adorable.  It was so small, he didn't even know if it was old enough to be weaned.

"But it's so tiny and she'll die if we leave her," Buffy pleaded.

"She might belong to someone," Angel replied, ignoring the look Buffy gave him.  She had obviously been abandoned, a kitten that young had no business wandering the streets of Sunnydale.

"She's so cute," Willow squealed as she stood and carefully petted the kitten, careful not to wake her.

"*Cımon* Angel, don't make me beg," Buffy pleaded.  She could see that he was contemplating it.

"Alright," he grumbled.  "We can keep it."

Buffy squealed and gave him a kiss before gazing down at the newest addition to their family.  They chatted for a few minutes with the gang before leaving to go to the vet clinic down the road.  The kitten--a girl, the vet said--was six weeks old.  She didn't have worms, but she had a slight cold and would need to be watched closely.

"I'm just scrubbing the grime out of her coat," Dr. Gregory said, gently massaging the catıs coat with shampoo.  "I'm glad you're keeping her, not dumping her here like so many of the other people do.  She deserves a good home.  Do you have supplies for her?" he asked.  They shook their heads.

"We just found her outside of school today," Buffy said as she gazed at the dripping wet kitten.  She was all black except for two rings at the top of her tail that looked like they should be on a raccoon and a white triangle on her forehead.

"Well, I'll give you a list of the essentials, there's a pet store down the road that will have everything you need.  You can bring the cat in, too," he said as he handed them a bottle of medicine and proceeded to wipe the cat down with a towel.  She remained silent the whole time, basking in the attention.  "Give her two drops twice a day and bring her back in two weeks," the doctor said as he handed her over.  Buffy took her and patted her head gently.

They thanked the doctor and climbed into the car, heading for the pet store.  Upon arriving, Buffy handed the cat to Angel and pulled the list the doctor had given out of her pocket.  She got a cart and with Angel in tow began walking up and down the aisles.

"Litter box, check.  Litter, check. Hey Angel, do you see this Authority cat food around anywhere?" Buffy asked, searching among the many varieties.  Angel found it and handed her a few bags, careful not to wake the cat who was nestled up against his chest.

"She really is adorable," Angel said as they moved on to the toys.  Buffy grinned as she loaded balls with bells inside, fake mice, and other play things into the cart.  She picked out a pink collar that had a tiny bell attached to it and two beds, one gray and one red.

"One'll go up in our bedroom and the other can go in the living room," she said as they stood on line to pay for everything.  They walked out to the car and placed the bags in the backseat.  Angel reluctantly handed the cat over and drove home.

As soon as they were in the door, Buffy let her down so she could explore.  The kitten teared through the house, running under the couch and leaping onto a dining room chair before heading upstairs.  Buffy helped Angel set up the litter in the downstairs bathroom and set out the food in the kitchen before going in search of the cat.  Buffy giggled when she found her snuggled against a pillow in their bedroom.  She picked her up and brought her down to teach her about the litter box and show her where her food and water was.

Buffy carried her back into the living room, where Angel sat taking her toys out of their packages.  He handed Buffy the collar and sneaked a quick kiss as she put it on.  The kitten looked at her quizzically and shook her head, trying to take the foreign item off.  Realizing it was there to stay, she turned her attention to one of the balls and began rolling it around the floor.  Buffy curled up next to Angel and smiled, watching her chase the ball around the room.

"We need to name her," Angel pointed out as they watched her abandon her ball and sniff around the TV.  Angel turned it on and she jumped, racing to the couch to jump up and burrow herself in Buffy's lap.  Buffy smacked him on the arm playfully.

"That wasn't very nice," she said, laughing at the kitten.  "Okay, a name.  What do you think?"

"You pick it out," he told her, reaching over to pet the cat on her tiny head.  Buffy thought for a few moments, her eyes wandering to the CD case.  Sarah McLachlan's Surfacing caught her eye and she grinned.

"How about Adia?" Buffy suggested, looking at Angel for his reaction.  He pondered it thoughtfully.

"Like the song?" he inquired.  She nodded.  "I like it."

"What do you say?" Buffy asked the cat.  "How do you like Adia?" The kitten lifted her head and yawned.  "Not exactly the reaction I was going for, but I'll take that as a yes.  Adia it is."

A knock on the door interrupted them.  Angel stood to answer it and was greeted by Joyce Summers.  He invited her in and they walked to the living room.

"Mom, I have something to tell you," Buffy said seriously, the kitten hidden by her thigh.

"What is it, sweetie?" Joyce asked, noting the tone of her daughter's voice.

"Angel and I are gonna have a new addition to our family," she replied, not daring to look Angel in the face.  If she did, sheıd burst out laughing.  Angel sat, stunned.

"What?" Joyce asked, also stunned.  Buffy giggled.

"Actually, she's already here," Buffy said, pulling Adia up and holding her proudly to show her off.  Joyce exhaled sharply.

"That was evil," she said as she took a deep breath.

"Sorry, I couldn't help it," Buffy laughed.  She stood and offered Adia to her mother, who took the cat and cradled her.

"So, I guess this means I'm a grandma now, huh?" she smiled, softly petting Adia's back.  The kitten yawned and licked her lips, content.  "I have some news of my own," she said, handing a sleeping Adia to Angel.

"What is it?" Buffy asked, indicating to her mother that she sit.

"Katrina has been assigned to stay and be an assistant to Mr. Giles.  I told her she could live at the house, considering I have an empty room," Joyce said.  Buffy smiled.

"Thatıs great!  Maybe she'll be able to get Giles to loosen up a little," she replied, glad her mother's friend would be staying.

Joyce stayed for a while longer before leaving as the sun slowly set.  Buffy made spaghetti for herself and Angel and sat on the couch afterwards.  Buffy closed her math book in relief and sagged into the soft cushions.  Angel's arm drew her to him and she gave him a sleepy smile.  He leaned down for a gentle kiss and the kiss intensified as Adia walked up, rubbing up against her new owners' legs and demanding attention.  They swatted her gently away as they stood.  Angel shut off the TV and the lights as he drew Buffy upstairs with him.  Adia followed close at their heels, but was shut out of the bedroom.

"Sorry sweetie, you can't sleep with us tonight," Buffy apologized as Angel attached himself to her neck.  Adia looked at the door and scratched it a few times.  When it didn't open she turned and walked away huffing slightly, settling herself in her bed in the living room.  A noise from upstairs jerked her up once, but it was gone and she closed her sleepy eyes, ready to spend her first night in her new home.

On to the next story, Interview With an (Ex) Vampire

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