She signed off and called her mom.
"Hello?"
"Hey."
"What's wrong?"
"I'm 20 years old and I have no life. That say anything to you?"
"I thought you were going to the movies with Willow. Dawn was saying something about it on the phone."
Buffy growled.
"You know, if I would have known that I would have left 10 minutes ago and been able to make the movie, but no, all she wanted was to know if we had a friggin flashlight."
"Calm down Buffy. What's the matter with you?"
"Oh, just the fact that all the plans I make get flushed down the toilet and that I have to be a taxi for Dawn all the time. I cannot wait for her to turn 16."
"Buffy, if you don't want to drive Dawn around any more, just say the word and that car of yours is gone. You don't have to drive you know. You've got two capable legs and all your friends drive."
"Mom, you know that's not what I meant. I don't mind driving her around...I just hate doing it every single time she has the whim to do something. You know what? I'll just spend another Friday night here with you."
"Well, don't make it sound so terrible. I'll be home from work in about 30 minutes. What do you say me and you go get a bite to eat?"
"I can hardly control my excitement."
"Good bye Buffy."
"Good bye mother."
Buffy hung up the phone and threw it at the couch. She looked outside to see that it had already gotten dark.
Mom won't mind if I go out for a bit.
She wrote Joyce a note and grabbed her jacket and bag and walked out into the night. The air was muggy. She had heard early that morning that it was expected to storm badly overnight.
Great, just my luck.  She walked to Restfield and did a sweep of it in about 15 minutes and then headed to Weatherly.
"Where are the vamps when you need something to pummel?"
"Well, I'm a vamp, but I hope you don't pummel me." She turned around to see Spike walking towards her.
"Spike, you might wanna keep your distance or you will get your ass kicked with the mood I'm in."
"Who got your panties in a wad?"
She gripped her stake and her eyes flashed angry at him.
"Alright alright. I just thought you might like someone to talk to. But, I guess I'm not wanted." He turned to go.
"Spike, wait, I'm sorry. I'm just really pissed at Dawn right now."
"What'd Nibblet do this time? Steal your favorite dolly?"
"NO! She ruined my plans. Well, Willow helped, but it was mostly her."
"What'd she and Red do?"
"Well, first of all, Dawn didn't tell me and mom had OKed me going out with Willow to the movies tonight, and then, come to find out, Willow was out with Tara. Guess she just forgot all about our plans. But, then again, everyone seems to be forgetting about me lately."Her head hung low and she almost walked into a tree.
"Tree."
She looked up.
"Oh, thanks. And Xander asked me if I wanted to come and hang with him and Anya, but I really don't wanna watch them make out all night. So, here I am, trying to blow off some steam."
"Where's Peaches?" She looked at him, annoyed.
"He's not coming until this weekend. He got a case at the last minute."She mumbled something under her breath about monkies and bastards and killing people? It was all very odd.
"So, I'm stuck at home with mom tonight. AGAIN!"
"You're mum isn't all that bad. I think she's great."
"Well, then you take my place and I'll stay out patrolling all night long."
"Well, I could join you two and then at least we'd have something interesting
to talk about."He flashed her a smile.
"You know, that wouldn't be so bad, but I have to say no. Vamps, even you Spike, hell, even Angel still weird mom out. Maybe another time."She smiled weakly at him.
"No worries. So, what do you say we go find ourselves some bad guys?"
"Spike, do me a favor? Never say bad guys again."
"What?" She just giggled.
~~~
"Buffy, I'm home."
She walked into the kitchen and saw Buffy's note on the fridge.
Out patrolling. Be back in a while. Love B.
She heard the front door open.
"Mom?"
"I'm in the kitchen."
"Hey." Buffy walked through the doorway and kissed her mother on the cheek. She went over and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge.
"So, whats up?"
"Just got home. How was patrol?"
"Spike and me found a nest. It was great. I got to let off some steam. I'm slightly less angry than before. But, only less. I'm still pissed. I stopped by Giles's place to see if he had any assignments for me. God, I'm getting pathetic. Even he turned me down."
"Buffy, its just a Friday night."
"And every other Friday night in the past that I've wanted to do something and didn't get to because of Dawn or things beyond my control...like, apocalypses. I'm sick of it."
"Well, what do you say me and you go rent some movies and then we can come back here and order a pizza?"
"You know with all the times I've made it a Blockbuster night, I should really own the store by now." She followed her mom down the hallway and out the door.
~~~
Buffy looked over at her mother's sleeping form on the couch. Dawn had called earlier and said she'd be staying the night at her friends. Buffy got up out of the recliner and decided to do one more sweep before she called it a night.
Evil never rests after all.
She grabbed her jacket and headed out the door. She found herself in Weatherly Park again. She'd already dusted two vamps when she felt a pair of arms wrap around her waist.
"It's late. Why aren't you at home?" She beamed.
"Angel! I thought you weren't coming until this weekend."
"We had a break in the case late last night. Gunn told me he could handle it the rest of the way. What's wrong, you're all tense and angry and stuff."
"I've had the night from Hell. Seems no one wants to be around Buffy any more. They're going skating, or they're out with their girlfriends, or sitting at home drinking tea and catching up on their demon reading."
"I wanna be around you."
He kissed her softly on the lips. They kissed for a long moment.
"So, why don't we sit down and you tell me about what's been happening around here that's got you all fired up."
"Well, it all started when Dawn came into my room today while I was asleep."Buffy proceeded to tell him the events of the night that had gotten her so angry and he listened attentively like any good boyfriend would do.
"Well, I say, we go and buy some cookie dough fudge mint chip, go back to my place, and snuggle."She smiled at him and kissed him.
"Well, that might just be the one thing that could turn this night around. Why are you so good to me Angel?"
"Because I love you."
"I love you too. Now, let's go get that ice cream. I need comfort food."
"What is it with women and ice cream as comfort food?"
"Things high in calories equal high in comfort. It's just the way we are."They walked out of the park and towards the nearest 24-hour store. They ended up back at Angel's place snuggling on his couch where Buffy fell asleep in his arms. This had turned out to not be such a bad night after all.