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Buffy took off her backpack and put it down in front of her. She took a
deep breath and ran her hands over her face to calm her nerves. She could
do this she assured herself and rang the doorbell. She stood there waiting
and when she rang the doorbell again she realized it was broken. Sighing in
irritation she banged softly on the door. Still there was no answer, which
really ruined the whole coming home moment.

Buffy tried the door handle and was surprised to find the door open. She
picked up her backpack and walked inside, closing the door behind her and
locking it. The Venetian blinds were down for some reason and Buffy stood
there suddenly rigid. She could just tell that something was wrong. Her
mother always liked to have the living room all sunny because of her
plants. There was no way she was going to suddenly put the room in darkness
unless.

Buffy rummaged through her backpack and wrapped her fingers around Mr.
Pointy. She heard a noise coming from the kitchen and she let the backpack
slide soundlessly to the floor. She carefully walked across the floor and
stepped into the kitchen ready to face whatever horrors that was waiting
for her. She realized rather quickly that it was an understatement. Nothing
could prepare her for seeing her mother pressed against the counter, being
fiercely kissed and groped by Angel, the love of her life which she had
been forced to send to hell a few months ago.

"What the hell is going on?" Buffy squeaked and the two flew apart, staring
in shock at her. Joyce brought her hands to her chest and looked like she
was about to cry.

"My baby! Oh God, Buffy, I thought I'd never see you again." Joyce cried
out, running up to Buffy and hugging her. The blonde stood frozen, staring
at Angel.

"Is this really happening?" Buffy whispered. "Did I really see you kissing
him?"

Joyce pulled away, looking down at her daughter, and Buffy noticed that her
cheeks were reddening. "It wasn't how I wanted you to find out about us but
now that you do know.how do you feel?"

"How do I feel?" Buffy hissed. "How the hell do you think I feel?"

"Buffy, calm down." Angel spoke for the first time. "I understand that this
is hard for you."

"You understand nothing!" Buffy screamed, looking at him with tears in her
eyes. She couldn't believe this was happening. Why had the kitchen suddenly
become a part of hell?

"I love your mother and she loves me and that's just something you're going
to have to accept." Angel said calmly, ignoring her outburst.

"Don't you talk to me about love!" Buffy sobbed, clenching her fists. "I
don't understand any of this. How could you do this to me? You just woke up
and decided you didn't love me anymore? You just decided to move on to my
mother?"

"No, I didn't *just* anything. It took me hundreds of years in hell to see
things clearly. I guess I should thank you for that." Angel answered and
Joyce walked up to him to show him her comfort and he laid his arm around
her. "At the very first moment I opened my eyes I saw your mother's face
and I fell immediately in love with this heavenly creature."

"What about the curse?" Buffy protested weakly when they kissed softly in
front of her.

"It's no longer an issue." Angel answered when they broke the kiss and he
turned to look at the trembling blonde.

"What? I don't get it. How can it not be an issue?" Buffy argued and then
her eyes widened when realization dawned on her. "Oh, no. You must be
kidding me! You had sex with my mother?"

"I know how it must seem but believe me, honey, it wasn't a rash decision."
Joyce tried to explain.

"Really? Did you seduce him or did he seduce you? Tell me, I'd really like
to know." Buffy said, wiping away the tears that was drying on her cheeks.

"Buffy, please, don't take this so harsh." Joyce begged her. "It's not the
end of the world."

"No, it's just the end of my life, that's all!" Buffy yelled and headed
towards the backdoor.

"Where are you going?" Joyce asked her, worriedly.

"You think I can stay here and look at the two of you right now? I'm going
to Willow's." Buffy said.

"But, honey, you just come home. Can't we spend some time together? You
haven't told me anything of what you've been doing. I've been so worried."
Joyce begged her.

"Obviously not worried enough." Buffy muttered and glared daggers at Angel
when he kissed Joyce's throat. "You guys are totally wiggin me out!" She
yelled before slamming the door open and running down the steps.

"That went well." Joyce said, sarcastically, and sighed. She laughed
when Angel started to nibble on her earlobe.

******

Buffy climbed up to Willow's balcony and knocked on the glass doors,
begging that the redhead had come home from school. She practically jumped
on Willow when the door opened revealing her best friend.

"Buffy? God! Are you okay?" Willow asked her, stunned.

"No!" The Slayer wailed. "I'm far from okay!"

"I guess you saw them together, huh?" Willow said, biting on her lower lip.
"It's all a bit weird."

"Weird doesn't even cover half of it." Buffy said and they sat down on the
bed.

"Okay, so I'm dying to know where you've been the past months but I'm
guessing the whole Angel and your mother thing has the highest priority
right now?"

Buffy nodded. "Please, tell me. What the hell has been happening? I don't
get it. I know I sent Angel to hell. I can accept that he somehow found a
way to get back but why the hell is he doing the nasty with my mother?"

"Um, yeah, I really got stuck on that too when I found out." Willow said
and did a little grimace. "Anyhow, for some reason Angel was sent back to
earth and your mother was actually the one to find him. He was all lost and
wild-like and I guess he brought out the mother instinct in her. She nursed
him and stuff and well, the mother feelings were replaced by something
else. I tell you, it's been crazed."

"Angel played nurse with my mother?!" Buffy cried out and Willow petted her
hand in support.

"So, what are you going to do?" She asked the Slayer.

"I don't know. Just deal, I guess." Buffy said. "What else can I do?"

******

Buffy was grateful to be allowed back at school when the weekend ended.
After spending the two days with her mother and Angel she was going between
feeling homicidal and suicidal. She had spent the nights slaying or just
sitting in one of the cemeteries. Anything was better than being at home.
She had discovered that the walls in the house were way too thin. For the
first time she cursed her slayer hearing.

When it was lunchtime Buffy, Willow and Xander went to sit outside at one
of the tables.

"Last night I could hear them doing it." Buffy said, straight out of the
blue.

"Buffy, do you mind? I wanna eat this!" Xander whined; looking now
depressed down on his chocolate bar. Not many things made him loose his
appetite but Buffy had just managed to name on of them. The image of
Deadboy and Buffy's mom doing the deed just bugged the hell out of him.

"Uh, I don't think I wanna hear this either." Willow said.

"Like I wanted to hear *them*!" Buffy exclaimed. "I never knew my mom to be
this loud when she was with my dad."

Xander threw the chocolate bar over his shoulder and glared at Buffy.

******

After school Buffy headed to the library to get some comfort from her
Watcher. She threw herself down into a chair in front of Giles and pouted.

"I'm guessing you're having a fairly bad day." Giles said.

"Try *week*!" Buffy whined. "My life just sucks."

"I really don't know what to say to cheer you up, Buffy. They do seem to be
really happy together." Giles told her.

Buffy rose her gaze to glare at him. "Giles, you're not helping."

"I'm sorry." Giles said and patted her shoulder.

"The part when I wake up and this is all a big evil nightmare.it's not
gonna happen, is it?" Buffy asked him.

"Afraid not." Giles said and walked towards his office. He turned around
and offered her a little smile. "Would a cup of tea cheer you up?"

Buffy groaned.

*****

Buffy was sitting alone at one of the tables in the Bronze. She put the
spoon down into her coffee and stirred it, staring gloomily down at the
brown fluid.

Willow walked up to her and sat down beside her. "Are you moping?"

"Well, it's a good night for it." Buffy answered and looked up when she
heard her best friend gasp. "What?"

"Wow, look at them." Willow said and Buffy followed her gaze. The spoon
fell down into her cup with a clink.

"What the hell?" Buffy whispered, staring at the couple in the middle of
the dance floor. Joyce and Angel were doing a dance that looked a whole lot
more like mating.

"Check out the lust bunnies!" Faith, the new slayer in town, commented as
she walked up to the girls.

"Faith, shut up!" Buffy hissed, glaring at the brunette.

Faith just grinned but then she turned serious. "Hey, I thought I heard
something about an evil curse. What's up with that?"

"Chill." Buffy said. "Unfortunately my mother can give Angel as many
perfect, happy moments as she wants."

"No way!" Faith exclaimed. "So they're screwing? Wicked cool."

"There's nothing cool about Angel screwing my mother!" Buffy hissed.

Oz kissed Willow's cheek as he arrived at the table and looked at Buffy.
"It might not be cool but if you think about it it's a rather funny story.
All right I'll shut up. She's not doing so well with this, is she?" He
asked Willow when he received a deadly stare from the slayer.

"Uh *no*." Willow answered. "Um, Buffy? You're kinda having an expression."

"Yeah? What does it say?" Buffy asked her.

"You wanna use pointy objects on Angel or pummel him to death?" Willow
said, smiling.

"I'd go with both." Buffy mumbled.

"What's up with you, B?" Faith asked her. "Lighten up a little."

"I'm cranky and I tend to stay that way." Buffy pouted.

"Well, who wouldn't be? If I found a vampire screwing my mother.well, a
thing like that would naturally lead to killing." Faith said.

"Hey guys!" Xander said as he approached them. "Woah, Buffy! Your mom is
sucking face with Angel! At the Bronze. In public!"

"Yeah. Thanks, Xander." Buffy said and looked over at Angel and her mother
again. "Is it me or is this just the sickest thing ever?"

"Couldn't agree with you more. You have to see this to believe it." Xander
told her. "Well, don't worry, Buff, they're gonna have to stop doing that
soon. And they're going to.*stop*. any time now.Those two have no shame!"

"What's with the gaping? Trying to catch a fly, are you?" Cordelia asked
her boyfriend and then gave a start. "Oh my gosh, Buffy! Are you aware that
your boyfriend is all over your mom?"

The Slayer growled.

"Just checking! Jeez." Cordelia said, holding up her hands. She looked over
at the couple and shook her head. "Aren't there laws against this sort of
thing? Eww. Buffy's mom and Angel doing it. How's that for a mental
picture?"

The coffee cup broke in Buffy's hand.

"How's it going over there, Buff?" Xander asked her, grinning.

"You know when I said I thought I could handle it? Well, I was kidding
myself." Buffy admitted to the gang.

"You're having a hard time to deal?" Cordelia asked her.

"Mom sucking face with my ex? I'm thinking not a good thing. I'm thinking
therapy sessions for life. I'm thinking pent-up anger that's gonna
explode!" Buffy said.

"You wanna go kill some nasty stuff?" Willow suggested.

Buffy's face brightened. "Love ya, Will. Let's go."

"That's my little trooper!" Willow said, cheerfully. "Kicking ass is
comfort food for her." She whispered to Oz.

*****

Faith staked a vampire and then stood back to look in admiration as Buffy
kicked the hell out of another vampire.

"She sure knows how to work out her issues." Xander commented and winced
when the blonde slayer ripped out the vampire's heart. "*Ouch!* Tell me
you're not slightly wigged by the look in her eyes?" He asked the brunette.

Faith grinned at him. "She's finally letting loose. Nothing wrong with
that."

Buffy dusted herself off and looked up at the two. The others had long ago
left to go home for some sleep. "I'm not ready to call it a night yet. Why
don't you two head home?"

"You sure?" Faith asked her. She kinda enjoyed watching the blonde kick
some demon ass.

"Yeah. I don't play well with others lately." Buffy said. "You get some
rest."

Faith nodded and slapped Xander's ass. "Let's go!"

Xander gave a start and spun around to face her. "Hey, I have a
girlfriend!"

"So do I. What's your point?" Faith asked him and laughed when his eyes
widened. "Come on, little boy. I'll walk you home."

*****

Buffy continued to slay anything inhuman that came in her way as she walked
through the town. Finally at dawn she climbed up the tree outside her
bedroom and opened the window and climbed inside. She froze when someone
turned on the lights and she came face to face with Angel and Joyce.

"What the fuck are you doing in my room?" She yelled.

"Buffy, you don't speak to me like that." Joyce said, angrily. "Where have
you been all night? Try to remember that we have rules in this house."

"And whose rules is it? Yours or *his*?" Buffy asked her, glaring at the
vampire.

"Look, I'm not trying to play daddy here." Angel told her.

"No? I'd bet you would just love that, wouldn't you? Telling me what to do.
*Punishing* me." Buffy asked him.

"Buffy, I don't understand where you're going with this." Joyce said. "Feel
like telling me what's on your mind?"

"You really wouldn't like to know. Trust me." Buffy said.

"Don't be that way." Angel told her.

"*What* way?" Buffy hissed.

"You're acting like a spoiled brat." Angel sighed.

"Which is way better than being a stupid, evil, dead guy." Buffy retorted.

"It's nice to know you've grown as a person. Real mature of you." Angel
growled at her.

"I can't stand this!" Joyce exclaimed. "Can't we just get along? Just hug
each other and we can go to bed and talk about this in the morning.
*Buffy*, indulge your mother."

"I'm so not going to hug him!" Buffy yelled.

"Oh, honey, what's bothering you? Really?" Joyce asked her.

Buffy rolled her eyes. "*Nothing*. I just want to be left alone."

"You're lying." Joyce said. "Why can't you just tell me what it is so we
can work this out?"

"Oh no. You don't get to do that. I can lie to you if I want to now,
mother. You're screwing my boyfriend. Don't think I'm gonna give you any
points for that one." Buffy said, coldly.

Angel growled and grabbed hold of Buffy's upper arms. "You don't talk like
that to your mother!"

"Not trying to play daddy, huh?" Buffy said, trying to get him to loose his
grip of her. She stared into his eyes and tilted her head. "If you have
something to say just say it. I'm a big girl."

"You're a bitch." Angel growled.

"Everyone just calm down!" Joyce yelled.

"Oh, shut up, mother!" Buffy told her. Angel suddenly let go of her and
backhanded her hard, sending her stumbling backwards. She didn't manage to
gain her balance and fell through the window. The last thing she heard was
her mother's scream as she hit the ground.

*****

Faith hopped up on the hospital bed and looked over at Buffy who was
packing the last of her stuff. "You okay?"

"I've been better." Buffy mumbled and zipped her bag.

Giles walked up to her and kissed the top of her head. "Are you ready to
go?"

"As ready as I could ever be." Buffy said. "Thanks, Giles."

Giles just smiled, stroking her hair. "Let's go, girls, before the wrecking
truck comes for my car."

"Oh, Giles, that car is death on wheels! And so not in a cool way. You
should be thankful if they did smash your car in little pieces." Faith said
and Buffy smiled when Giles' face became pale at the thought of the final
death of his car and he hurried them down the corridor.

******

Buffy would have smiled when Faith and Giles protectively walked beside her
as they walked up to the Summers' residence if it hadn't been so serious.
After Angel had put her in the hospital all her friends had become hostile
against the vampire and Joyce. Even though her head still hurt after the
concussion she had finally gotten over Angel. She was just sorry it had
taken him putting her into hospital to make her finally see through the
jealousy.

Joyce opened the door and looked awkwardly at the trio. "Please, come in."

Giles put a hand on the small of Buffy's back and gently led her past her
mother and into the house she no longer thought of as home. Buffy stopped
when she met Angel at the stairs.

"I'd like to have a word with you." Giles told Angel and the vampire
nodded, stepping aside so Buffy could walk up to her room, followed by
Faith, and stepped into the living room with the Watcher.

"Now you listen to me! You so much as touch her again and I'll find a way
to fit you in an ashtray!" Giles hissed at Angel.

"I never meant for it to go so far." Angel said, having the sense of mind
to look sorry for what he'd done.

"No, you never mean the things you do, do you? Killing Jenny, torturing me
and now hurting Buffy." Giles said, coldly and Angel remained silent.
"Doesn't really change things, does it?"

*****

Joyce stood in the doorway watching her daughter move around, packing her
most favorite things into a suitcase. "I don't see why you have to leave."

"How long did it take you to forgive him, mom? Ten *seconds*?" Buffy asked
her, not turning around to face her mother.

"He didn't mean to hit you, Buffy." Joyce defended Angel. "Besides you're
stronger than him."

"And that makes it all right?" Buffy asked her and finally looked her in
the eye. "You chose him over me."

"No. I would never.We could be a family." Joyce said and Faith chuckled.

"No offense, lady, but this whole boinking the undead thing you got going
is pretty much disturbing even to me. Buffy's better off living with Giles
and me." Faith said.

"I'm not the only one who has slept with a vampire here!" Joyce said. "She
did too!"

"You're quite the drama queen, aren't you?" Faith said. "Real Jerry
Springer material."

"Faith, please." Buffy begged the brunette.

Faith sighed. "I'm just saying the whole thing is freaky, ya know?"

"I loved him too once." Buffy said. "You don't have to make him the bad
guy."

"The *demon* in him makes him the bad guy not me." Faith said. "So, he's
hot. I admit to that but the whole stepfather thing gave you the creeps,
right?"

"Yeah." Buffy said and lifted the suitcase of the bed.

"You want me to get that for you?" Faith asked her and Buffy let her take
it from her.

"Thanks."

Faith grinned and walked out of the room giving Buffy a chance to be alone
with her mother.

"I love you, you know that, don't you?" Joyce asked Buffy.

"I know." Buffy answered.

"You'll come visit?"

"I don't think I will, mom. The whole thing just freaks me out. You can
come see me at Giles' if you want. Just don't bring Angel. With all those
weapons around who knows what could happen." Buffy said and kissed Joyce on
the cheek.

"Are we all right, Buffy?" Joyce asked her before she went out in the hall
to Faith.

"We'll deal." Buffy told her. "As we always do."

The End