Angel doesn't leave Sunnydale. He decides to stay, because he can't bear to hurt Buffy. Selfishly, he also doesn't want to be alone again. As Buffy begins attending college, their relationship is put to the test. Buffy begins to see what everyone was telling her — about how being with Angel at this time in her life would be difficult for both of them. She starts to resent those people for putting ideas in her head that she can't forget.

Angel can see how he's hurting Buffy, but he knows it's too late to leave now. Buffy stays with Angel in his mansion, but most days, they stay in completely separate rooms. When they lay together at night, they feel more alone than ever. Is it possible, they wonder, to completely love someone but to want more? They wish they could explain this feeling to the other, but they can't find the words. They say nothing.

Despite their disconnection, they want each other, physically, now more than ever. Their want makes them more powerful and makes them deadlier to vampires and demons, but they never can scratch the itch that they feel. Buffy dreams of Angel, yet she finds herself aroused by Xander's never-ending obsession with her, and sometimes she pleasures herself to the thought of one her teacher's aids named Riley. Angel, meanwhile, drowns himself in demon-related texts, much like Giles does, hoping he can do something, anything, that might satisfy Buffy.

Together they overthrow the Initiative and defeat Adam, but still they feel unfulfilled. One day though, at a Scooby's dinner, Anya confronts the two, uncomfortable by their tension, which is so obvious to her. "Listen," she tells them. "Your tension is making everyone uncomfortable. It's all grim and darkness and complaining with you two but really it isn't so bad. Sure, sex is fun. REALLY fun. But it's ultimately just bodies pressing together. Anyone can do it... well, most people can do it. The point is, you've found someone willing to be with you for your soul, for your heart, someone willing to fight evil soldiers and Frankenstein monsters with you. So just masturbate, masturbate together, watch each other have sex with other people, have Willow on standby to do that spell once a year so you two can do it really good. Just do something because you two make me everyone here feel guilty for having sex."

Everyone slowly turns to Giles. He cleans his glasses and says nothing.