Forever

TITLE: Forever

AUTHOR: Dragonqueen

E-MAIL: dragonqueen05@yahoo.com

DISCLAIMER: *Runs DorkAngel through with a sword, and watches as Acathla
swallows his ass.* “Bye, bye, please don’t come back anytime soon!” *Stakes Spuke, kills Whordelia, Conner, all the SIT’s, beats the shit out of everyone left on either show. Does a little Willow-type mojo and bye, bye curse. Saves the world from the apocalypse. I turn to Buffy and Angel and say,* “Ok, now you two have *nothing* left to bitch about. I’ve fixed everything. Get your asses to the bedroom and don’t come out for a few days.” Would I have just fixed everything if I was Joss? No-fucking-way!!! I am in no way connected to Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Angel. I am in no way connected to Joss, ME or any other person who *is* connected with the previously mentioned shows.

TIMELINE: Season 7 Btvs and 4 Atvs

SPOILERS: Any ep from any season on either show. But mainly 7/4.

SYNOPSIS: Ahhh, I got pissed and this is what happened. It’s a rewrite of the Btvs end, its not even aired yet and I’m rewriting it. Shows the *snort* faith I have in the writers.

PAIRS: B/A... that’s about it.

DISTRIBUTION: Take it. Please just tell me.

AN: ‘’ are thoughts.

A.N2: This is a B/A fic. Can you see that? Good. Don’t read it and flame me cause it’s B/A. Thanks.

A.N3: This is my first fic. Yay me. Ok, so I have like 4 sitting on a disk just waiting to get finished. It’s not beta’d, just spell checked. So all errors are the stupid computer’s fault.

FEEDBACK: PLEASE?! I’d love it. I’ll beg if I have to.

RATING: R to NC-17 (for the most part). R for the language, violence, etc., and NC-17 for the smut. Ah, there’s some slight blood play, so if you don’t like it skip it.

 
 
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Angel watched as her ‘friends’ threw her out of her own home. He backed away from the house when she started for the door, ending up across the street. He watched as Faith followed her out onto the porch. He couldn’t make out their words, but he could see the tears glistening on Buffy’s cheek. He couldn’t stop the possessive growl that came with the sight of Buffy’s tears. From Faith’s expression Buffy had just cialcially handed command to Faith. Faith quickly left, leaving Buffy alone once more.

He was at war with himself. He wanted to comfort her, he wanted to take comfort in her, he wanted to give her ‘friends’ a personal lesson in the fine art of torture.

But the decision was made for him. He suddenly found the small form of his ex lover directly in front of him. Gone were the tears that had only moments ago graced her fair cheeks. She had a cold, hard, determined look. One he remembered seeing only a handful of times. His demon being on the receiving end for most of the remembered looks.

“What are you doing here?” Her voice emotionless.

“I saw what happened in there.” He started off.

“What so now you’re gonna tell me how bad my decisions are too?” She demanded.

“What? Buffy where did that come from?”

“Come on Angel. How many times have you just made a life changing decision for me?
Never once asking how I felt about it.”

“That’s not why I’m here. You know that. I have some info for you.”

“Ah, I see how it is. We’re back to square one? You tell me the world is ending, you disappear like you’re so good at, and I stop the big bad or die trying.”

“No. Buffy it’s not that. I have some things that might actually help you win...” he stopped for a beat, trying to stop the words that were forcing themselves out, but he lost and he spoke the words, “and I needed to see you.” He took a deep breath and continued, “A lot’s went down in L.A. And I just, well, I just needed to see you.”

“Oh,” she said meekly. “I, ah, I guess that,” gesturing towards her house, “got to me more than I thought it did.”

“I could see how that would happen.”

Giving him a little smile she asked, “Ya wanna go talk, ya know somewhere not in my neighbor’s front lawn?”

“Yeah, how about we go patrol?”

She started off, still showing a slight limp.

“Buffy, what happened?”

“One of the big bads decided to drop by today.”

“One of?”

“Oh, yeah. I’ve had several this year. But all working for one master.”

“Master?” He asked intrigued by her choice of words.

“Uh huh. That fun little fella named ‘The First Evil’ is back in town.”

“The First? Wow, I thought we had trouble.”

“Yep, the First. It’s hunting down all the slayers in training. It’s killed off like all of the
watchers. Brought the uber vamp that kicked my ass, a few times. Now it’s got this guy named Caleb. And he’s the one that gave me this oh so fun limp. Caleb is the one that, well, he, he made Xander lose his eye.”

“He did that to Xander? And I take it Xander’s not dealing well?”

“As well as can be expected.”

“He blames you.”

“Yeah. It’s my fault. I took them in there, knowing we weren’t all gonna come out alive or intact. People died, people got hurt.”

“He knew the dangers.”

“How can you say that? You weren’t here. You don’t know.” Her voice rose with anger, anger that was mostly directed at herself.

“Xander has been fighting with you for seven years now. He knows the risks.”

“It’s my job to keep them safe. I knew they weren’t ready. I’m their leader... was their leader. And I failed them.” She trailed off in a whisper.

Angel suddenly grabbed her arm. “Don’t say that. He’s alive isn’t he? You’ve saved their ungrateful assess how many times? Yes, people got hurt. But it happens. People die, people get injured. It’s part of battle, it‘s part of what we have to do. They could have walked away at any time.”

“But then why does it feel like I did it myself?” She asked, tears once more glittering in her eyes.

He impulsively pulled her into a hug. Resting his head on hers. A once familiar but never forgotten spot. Murmuring into her hair, “Because you give your all to them.”

“My all? It’s not enough for them. And it sure as hell isn’t enough to save them.” She whispered bitterly into his cool chest.

Deciding it was time to end the embrace, he pulled away. “Tell me what’s been happening.” He commanded gently.

“Well I told ya about the First. That’s really about it. Oh, except it’ll bring a whole army of those uber vamps. Well, anyway, the First had Spike, I think it was trying to make him lose his soul. Kinda like what it tried on you...” ‘Opps,’ she thought to herself.

She could literally watch as her slip registered on Angel’s face. He went perfectly still. But his eyes had turned amber.

“What did you just say?” He asked in a deadly tone.

“I, ah, I didn’t say anything. Well I did, but I was just telling you about the First, like you asked me to.” She deadpanned.

“Don’t play with me Buffy. What did you say?” He fairly snarled at her.

“Ah, well, I said, um... Spike has a soul.” She whispered. So faint he nearly missed it.

“That’s what I thought.” He growled, “Now how the hell did he get it? You wanted try out the soulful version of your lover?”

“How did you?”

“Know? You t tht think I couldn’t smell him? His sent is all over you. And it was all over the demon grapevine. ‘William the Bloody fucking the Slayer’, do you know how many times it was thrown in my face that *my* Slayer was fucking my childe?”

She couldn’t look at him. She knew he was looking at her in disgust. But then something registered, he had said, “*my* Slayer.”

“My Slayer? I haven’t been *your* anything for many years now Angel. You made sure of that.” She said bitterly. “Oh, and don’t get all righteous on me. I know about you and Cordelia. That damn demon grapevine.”

With that she took off. Going as fast as she could without actually running. He stared at her for a few seconds. But he couldn’t let it end like that.

“Buffy, Buffy, please, stop.” He jogged after her.

“Why? All we ever do is fight. So we did that, and now it’s time for you to do that disappear into the shadows thing.”

“Buffy, please. Just don’t, ok? I’m sorry I had no right to judge you. I left. I know. But that doesn’t change that knowing about you and Spike hurts.”

“And knowing about you and Cordy hurts.”

“There was never a ‘me and Cordelia’. For awhile I thought there could be, but then some things happened recently and I knew I could not love her.”

“Oh.” She said softly, “If it helps. You know I could never love Spike... even when he has a soul.”

“That reminds me, how did he get that soul?”

“I’m not actually sure. He uh, left for awhile last year. When he came back he had his soul.”

“Are you sure? The First could have gotten to him before. He could be playing you.”

“No. He couldn’t have fooled me... could he?” She asked him softly.

“I don’t know Buffy. I haven’t seen him, but I trust your judgment.” He knew she needed someone to say that to her.

She briefly flashed him a brilliant smile. Then it disappeared. “Angel, I have to do something. The others, they said it was stupid, and I don’t have any proof. But I have to go back to the vineyard. When Caleb came to me today he kept going on about the Hell mouth and this seal that’s on it. But none of the bad guys are ever protecting the Hell mouth, and that’s where we’ve been focusing and getting nothing out of it. I think maybe there isn’t anything for Caleb or the First to protect at the Hell mouth. Like I said I don’t have any...” Angel silenced her rambling with a finger gently laid on her lips.

“You think they have something hidden in the vineyards?”

“Yes,”

“It makes sense. They’re trying to get you to look one way, while they go the other.”

“That’s what I think.” She said as relief colored her voice.

“The others are afraid. I’ll go with you; we can do a little recon. We can sneak in and out a lot faster and quieter than a large group.” After he realized she probably didn’t want him to go he added, “If you want.”

“Thank you.”

“For what?”

“Believing in me. They didn’t believe me. They wanted to know if there really was something there before they risked their lives again.”

“I understand. And if there was time I would be all for research. But there isn’t time. We need to find out what he has now, not when it’s too late and he’s killing us with it.”

“Us?”

“Uh, well, I, well I could stay and help... if you want?”

“You would?”

“Of course.” He said with that half-smile that made her knees weak.

“Thank you. I know I shouldn’t ask this of you. You don’t owe me anything. And I know you said you were having troubles in L.A. Hell, if half of what I heard was going on is true you had it as bad as we have.”

He looked sharply at her. Did Willow tell her? Did she know? Could she feel his soul leave his body?

“Yeah, it’s been a rough year. After we are done with this Caleb guy, remind me to tell you about it.”

“Kay,” they had reached the vineyard. She took him to the entrance they had used before.

They slowly entered. Not a leaf stirring under their well-trained stealth. Buffy went left, Angel right. After circling around the room the met in the middle. Buffy was scng tng the room as if she was looking for something... or someone.

“Buffy, what is it?” He whispered. Then he caught the feeling as well. Something was near. Something... human? No, not quite human, but not quite demon.

Then clapping was heard. “So you’re back for some more little girl? And who is this one?” A southern accent asked.

“Shit,” Buffy whispered, looking at Angel with fear. He recognized that fear, she was scared for him. And in that moment he wanted to tell her the million things that had been left unsaid.

“Now, now slayer no reason for that kind of language. I don’t think I saw this one at our little party the other night.”

“Stay away from him. This about just you and me.”

“Well, I don’t think so. You think he’ll look as good with an eye patch as Xander?” Then he swung, sending Buffy across the room. She hit a wall, one that seemed to already have her body imprinted into it, full force. Sending pieces of wood crumbling around her. Angel let out a low, feral growl. They may have been separated, but she was his mate.

“So how many vampires do you keep around? I’m pretty sure you’re supposed to kill them.” Caleb asked the fallen slayer.

Angel attacked. But in moments he was swatted away. He got to his feet, he wasn’t about to let this guy stop him. After everything he went through this year, this guy should be a piece of cake.

He started to throw punches, but little was happening. Caleb just grabbed him by the neck and threw him, again.

He scanned the room as he stood once more. Buffy wasn’t where she had been. But he didn’t see her. He didn’t let on to Caleb, who was rambling on about how wrong it was to fight against the First. He kept going on about god and how the First was winning, how that was the way things were supposed to be.

 
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Buffy had crawled away from the fight. She could sense something powerful. It was the same feeling she got when something magical was near, mainly Willow. It was like static electricity surrounding her.

She followed the electric feel. It took her to a small room that she hadn’t seen before. Then she realized this was where Caleb had come from. He had come in opposite the entrance.

She was limping worse than before; somehow she ended up landing on her hurt leg again.

She wondered around the room, wincing every time she heard Angel hit a wall. She felt bad for leaving him there to fight alone. But she knew what ever was in this room was what they had come for. There was writing on the wall. Something she couldn’t understand. Trying to memorize it so Angel might be able to translate it, she said the words under her breath.

Suddenly there was a bight flash, she spun around. In the middle of the room was a red swirling light; in the middle of it was a weapon. She knew Giles had once told her what it was.

Stepping to the light, she took a deep breath. And then slowly put her hand in the light. When it didn’t burn her, she continued on. She grabbed the hilt, and pulled it out. It made her arm tingle at first, but then that slowly receded.

Having it in her hands gave her a sudden shot of confidence. She strode out of the little room, still limping. But that doesn’t seem to affect her.

When she got to the main room she saw Angel trying to climb to his feet once more. But Caleb kicked him in the side, sending him flying into the opposite wall.

Caleb picked Angel up off of the ground by his throat. She could tell he was going to decapitate Angel right then and there.

With a battle cry she was across the room in an instant. All hurts forgotten for now. Something inside of her was screaming to save her mate, something that had been hidden under years of separation, pain, and heartache.

Caleb was taken by surprise. She hit him with the hilt of the scythe, remembering what Giles had called it. It sent him stumbling. Which surprised her, she had barely been able to move any part of him, let alone making him stumble.

But he came back at her full force. Something in the scythe made her able to handle his punches better. They didn’t send her across the room, just a few feet.

They fought, neither able to get the upper hand. But Buffy had been able to wound him this time.

But she knew she wouldn’t be able to defeat Caleb alone. It had been a mistake to leave Angel on his own. She needed him. So she worked her way to him.

“Angel, get the hell up. We gotta get out of here.”

She only got a moan. Caleb came back for more, “Oh, I don’t think so. You’re not going anywhere with my scythe.”

She fought back, hoping Angel would get up. She wouldn’t leave him, but she knew they both would be dead, Angel more so than he was now.

Angel was struggling to get up. Caleb had knocked him unconscious with that last kick. He hadn’t even known how close to final death he had come.

Finally getting to his feet he saw Buffy. She had some kind of scythe in her hands. And seemed to be able to holding her own.

But he could see her tiring. So when Caleb got in a vicious kick, sending her right into Angel’s arms. That’s all he needed. Angel just scooped her up and ran for the door.

Caleb was right behind the. But Angel knew these woods, he knew the town. They lost Caleb somewhere in the bad part of town. Angel finally slowed. He let go of Buffy’s hand. At some point he had set her on her feet, but kept a hold on her hand.

“Are you ok?” He asked.

After the adrenalin had worn off she realized she had taken more of a beating than she had thought. “Uh, I think. What about you?”

“I’ll heal.” He looked around them. They had ended up on Crawford St. “Um, I think we should get some cover. The sun will be up soon.”

“Yeah, the mansion is closest. Come on. I don’t want to have to find something to put your ashes in.” She said with as much of a smile as she could muster.

They jogged into the mansion, with the dawn’s first rays nipping at their heals. Buffy headed strait for the couch, not even bothering with taking the dust cover off. Angel made his way over to the couch also, sitting on the opposite end.

They both just sat starring ahead for a time. But Buffy couldn’t ignore the pain coming from her back. She was fairly certain Caleb stabbed her with something. She probed the area with her fingers, gasping at the sudden flash of pain. It was worse than she thought.

“Buffy, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

“Buffy,”

“I think I was stabbed in the back.”

“Let me see.”

She turned away from him, taking off her top. She was trying desperately to calm down. But it wasn’t helping.

Angel was having the same problem. Seeing her slowly take her shirt off was torture. He wanted nothing more than to take her right there. But he couldn’t. She wasn’t his anymore.

So instead he focused on her wound. It was deep, it looked like some wood was lodged in her back. Probably from when Caleb tossed her into the wall. There was a large chunk still imbedded in her skin.

“There’s some wood here. I’m gonna have to take it out.”

“Okay,” She said. She didn’t like this idea, but there was no other choice. She couldn’t walk around with a giant splinter in her back.

Angel set to work on her wound. There wasn’t much in it, just the one large piece. After he was finished he couldn’t pull away.

“It’s already closed. You‘re fine.” He whispered in her ear. He couldn’t help but notice the painful similarities to her seventeenth birthday.

Buffy slowly leaned back against him. She closed her eyes and just let herself pretend that everything was right between them. That things were like the used to be before Angelus.

“Buffy,” Angel says softly. He always says her name like it is sacred, he always treated her like she was worth something.

And that brought tears to her eyes. She couldn’t stop them. She cried for her lose of the girl she once was, she cried for the life she could never have with Angel, she cried for the lose of her family and friends.

Angel turned her towards him when he felt the first of her tears drop in his hand. “Baby, don’t cry.” But that only made her sob harder. He wasn’t allowed to call her baby. They weren’t allowed things like that.

He pulled her head to his chest and held her as she cried. He couldn’t help but wonder if Spike did this for her. Did she open up like this for Spike? Did he get to see her at her weakest? He couldn’t believe that Spike did. Spike wasn’t here, holding her as she cried

After awhile, she calmed. Her ear still over his un-beating heart. “I remember what it was like when your heart beat.” She couldn’t keep it from him, she wanted to tell him everything. She wanted to know if he could still hold her like this even after he heard all of her secrets.

He tensed, “Wh, what?” ‘Ohgodohgodohgod,’

She pulled away slightly, just enough to see his eyes. “I remember.”

“No,” he breathed, “you weren’t supposed to remember.”

“I wasn’t supposed to die. But I did. Funny thing about Heaven is that you get to relive all of your happiness. And that was happiest memory I had. Even if I didn’t know I had it in life.”

“God, I’m so...” she cut him off.

“No, don’t apologize. Angel, no one has ever scarified something like that me. me. Yeah, after I came back I was mad. But I think that was mostly because it was just another thing that had to be left in Heaven.”

“Buffy,” he murmured as he pulled her to him. He couldn’t stop himself. After losing her so many times, walking away so many times, he had no control left. “God, I love you so much.”

“You, lo, love me?”

“I could never stop. No matter how hard I tried. Nothing I could do would ever completely erase you from me. You are a part of me, a part of my soul.”

Once more the tears flowed. “I couldn’t either. I tried to move on, but they were never you.”

“Do you love him?”

“Who?”

“Spike.”

“No, I tried. After he got his soul back, I tried so hard. But, Angel, I haven’t been with him. Not for a long time.”

He traced the lines of her face. His thumb gently running across her lower lip. They both started to lean forward at the same time. When their lips met, their passion exploded.

“Angel,” Buffy sighed into his lips. His tongue urgently seeking entrance into her hot, little mouth. Buffy opened for him, thtongtongues dueled for a long time. Finally, he pulled back just long enough for her to get a breath.

Angel slowly lowered her to the couch. Her hands found their way into the soft hairs at the back of his neck. She lightly scraped her nails through them. His hands had found their way to her breast. He lightly tweaked her nipple through the fabric of her bra.

He pulled away from her lips once more. He looked down upon her, their lustful gazes meeting. She needed to feel his weight on her once more. So she pulled him back down.

But before he was completely on top of her, the logical part of his brain kicked in. “Buffy, we can’t.”

She answered, “Don’t, just kiss me.” As she said this her hands made their way to his crotch. She cupped him, and gave him a slight squeeze to emphasize her words.

He let out a low, rumbling growl. He swooped down to capture her lips once more. Her tiny hands were trying to free his cock, while his were making quick work of her bra.

Realizing where they were he said, “Not here.” He stood and scooped her up into his arms. He quickly carried her to the bedroom. Setting her on her feet, he stripped the bed of the dust cover. Revealing black satin sheets.

He picked her up and gently laid her on the bed. He slowly crawled to her, looking the deadly predator he was. This time when her hands made for his belt he let them.

Time and hardship had taken a toll on them. They had been with out their mate for to long. There was no stopping, no going back. They both knew this would end in the worst possible way... but neither cared.

He leaned down and captured one of her nipples between his teeth, biting down gently. Buffy moaned loudly, her hands once more tangling in his hair. Pushing herself further into his mouth.

He alternated between nipping gently and sucking. After a few moments he switched to the other breast giving it the same attention.

Buffy had untangled her hands from his hair. She ran them up and down his back for a time. But then they once more made their journey to the inside of his boxers. Once there she firmly grabbed his member, she stroked him with a slow, firm grip. She could feel the approving growl vibrate through her. The vibrations went strait to her womb. She could feel herself get even wetter.

He could smell her wetness. He remembered what his growl did to her. So he did it again. He was pleased when he was rewarded with her low moan.

He pulled his head from her breasts. He gazed up at her, both sets of eyes dark with passion and lust. Giving her a predatory smile, he slowly started to kiss her body his way down her body.

He reached the top of her panties. He lowered them, taking his time to kiss down her left leg and back up her right. She was completely bared to his gaze. Holding her eyes he gave her a slow, sensuous lick.

Buffy arched into his mouth. Trying to get more, but he held her hips. He was alternating between long broad licks from her asshole to her clit and short flicks over her clit. But is wasn’t enough.

Sensing her growing impatience he slid first one finger, than another into her tight heat. He was pleasantly surprised at how tight she still was. Almost as tight as when he first took her, gotta love those slayer muscles.

As he added a third finger into her, he took her clit into his mouth. He nibbled and sucked until she was screaming her release.

He brought her down from her climax. Soon she was tugging at him, bringing them face to face.

“Angel, I need you. In. Me. Now.” He smiled at her words. At one time hearing anyone utter those words would have had her blushing. But she was a woman now. She knew what she wanted and how to get it.

He quickly divested himself of what was left of his clothing. She pulled him to her, and started to plunder his mouth. As she was kissing him he entered her. They both stopped once he was fully seated in her. He pulled away from her mouth to look into her eyes.

“Buffy, I love you,” he whispered.

“Love you, Angel.” She moaned.

With that they started to move. Slowly at first, relearning each other’s bodies. But they were soon pounding away. Angel knew he wasn’t gonna be able to hold on much, so he reached between their bodies. His hand once more found her clit.

That was enough for her, “Aaaannnnggggeeeellll,” she wailed as she climaxed again.

When her slayer strong muscles started to clench him, he knew he was done for. His face shifted. Amber eyes showing how desperately he wanted to hang on, to make this last.

She looked up, his eyes had closed. She could see him clenching his jaw. She reached up and gently stroked his protruding brow. He opened his eyes, but still struggled not to come.

She needed to be his completely. Dracula had feed from Angel’s mark, Angel‘s mark was still present. But she wanted to feel him break her skin again, feel him take her life force into him, she needed him to claim her fully. So she bared her throat to him, “Drink,” she commanded.

His control was already hanging by a thread. When she told him to drink it shattered. With a growl he dove for her throat. He licked and sucked on his mark. Finally he slid his fangs in. She came, for the third time, instantly. Roughly pushing his fangs deeper. This time he came as well. He pulled his teeth from her throat, throwing his head back he howled, shooting his cold seed deep into her womb.

He briefly collapsed on her. The he rolled off, pulling her on top of him. With a soft sigh she was asleep, completely spent.

He wasn’t far behind, but as he drifted off one thought floated across his mind, ‘Perfect.’

 
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When he woke the first thing he was aware of was the hot, little body pressed wantonly against him.

He smiled as he remembered just what had happened the night before. But he then remembered what should be happening to his soul.

He tensed, but nothing was happening. He had no idea why he was still there, but he was. He knew for a fact he experienced perfect happiness the night before.

He decidt wat was best not to look a gift horse in the mouth. So he watched his love, instead.

Souldould feel eyes on her. She had once been quite used to that feeling, but after Angel had left she had lost that accustom-ness. Once she was a little more awake she was also aware of a cold, hard body against hers. She couldn’t help but tense. ‘God, what have I done?’ Her mind screamed. She turned over slowly and was met by Angel’s loving gaze.

“Hey,” he said softly.

But she was too scared to recognize it was him. She jumped from the bed, unmindful of her nudity.

“Buffy,” he questioned. And then realized her problem. “It’s ok love. It’s me.”

She stopped searching for a stake, and looked into his eyes. “Oh god, Angel. I thought I lost you again...” Then her face fell.

“Buffy, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing, it’s nothing. I have to, ah go.” With that she started to search for her clothing.

“Buffy, stop.” He grabbed her hands as they reached for her pants. “What’s the matter?” He pulled on his boxers as he asked, worry coloring his tone.

“I said it was nothing. Nothing is the matter. I’m fine, why should you care anyway?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It doesn’t matter!” She screamed out of, to him, nowhere. He could clearly see the tears in her eyes.

“Love, of course it matters. If it’s enough to make you cry, it matters.”

She turned abruptly, pulling her clothes on as she went. By the time she got to the great room she was fully clothed.

“Buffy, stop, please, talk to me. Tell me what in the hell is wrong with you.”

She had stopped, but after his command she started to laugh. A definite edge of hysteria tinged the laugh.

“I don’t know ‘what in the hell is wrong with me.’ Maybe you can figure it out, cause I fucking haven’t.”

“I don’t understand. Tell me what you mean. Please, talk to me.”

“Your soul.”

“My soul? Buffy I have my soul. What’s that got to... Oh, love, it’s not what you think. I swear. If there was a time to lose it, it would have been last night. I haven’t been that happy in a very long while.”

“But it wasn’t happy enough. I came back wrong. I told Tara there is something wrong with me. God, even you can tell it. What am I saying? You of all people should be able to tell it.” She was breaking down, tears were spilling down her checks in a seemingly never-ending torrent.

He crossed the room to her, and pulled her against his chest. He gently wiped away her tears with his thumbs. “If it were possible for me to lose my soul last night, I would have. Buffy, you bring me peace with a touch. Hell, just feeling you near brings me peace a thousand years with Cordelia could never bring. I. Love. You. I know I haven’t shown it too well recently, but I do. I love you with every part that is me. Please don’t cry, not over this. Because last night was perfect.”

She just looked at him. After all this time she could still read him, and she could see the sincerity in his eyes, hear it in his voice. A brilliant smile broke out on her face. She realized she had smiled more in the last few hours than she had in a long while.

“Soooo, do ya want to try out that soul again?” He answered her by showing her the entire day just how bound his soul was.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 
“We’ve gotta get up.” Buffy mumbled into his chest. But it was the last thing she wanted to do. They had spent the whole day making love. She wanted a shower, some food, some sleep, and maybe some more sex. But defiantly not in that order.

“Can we just forget about apocalypses?”

“No, unfortunately they kinda find me. So it won’t be long before someone finds us.”

“Is that a bad thing?” They had, in-between bouts of lovemaking, talked. He had told her what had happened between Darla and he, about Conner (which had ended in a fight in and then some very good make-up sex), and his budding desire for Cordelia. She had told him of heaven, her ‘relationship’ with Spike. They had just talked about every thing that had happened in the time they were apart. And the last thing he wanted was to be hidden away like a dirty secret, as Spike had been.

“Mmmm, yeah. ‘Cause then there’s badness.”

“Badness?”

“Yep, someone comes in. We’re going at it like little lust bunnies. Then there’s yelling, and possible stakage. It will lead to badness.”

“So you’re not trying to hide me away?”

“Of course I am,” she said with an impish grin, “I’m not sharing you. You know how many hormonal teenagers are in my house? They’d be all over you in a second.”

“Really? Well, we can’t have that now can we?” He started to kiss her neck. Lightly sucking on the, several times over, reopened mark.

Moaning softly she said, “We have to go. And I’m hungry.” Her stomach growled for emphasis.

“Well, you did work up quite an appetite. I’ll buy you something on the way to your place.”

“Ice cream?” She asked.

“No, I was thinking something more on the healthy side.” She gave him her never-failing pout. “Ok, ok, I’ll get you ice cream. But you gotta eat some real food as well.”

“See, I knew there was a reason I loved you.” She finally stood up. At some point they had made their way back to the master bedroom. She got dressed quickly. Angel did as well. He had to rummage through the clothes he had left there to find a new shirt.

“You ready?”

“Uh huh.” She took his hand and they started for the door.

After wondering through Sunnydale they found that everything was abandoned. “Well, we could try Willy’s. He’d be open right?”

“Most likely. He serves human food. And I can get something to eat.”

So they made their way to Willy’s. They didn’t meet any demons or other supernatural creatures on the way.

They got to Willy’s and the place seemed closed.

“I’ll go look out back. There’s a sewer entrance back there. I’ll see if he’s just hiding.” With that Angel melted into the shadows.

Buffy was trying to look in a window when she felt someone approach, “Buffy, what are you doing here?” Wood asked her.

She couldn’t help but glare at him. “Why do you care?”

“Hey, we’re all friends here. You just couldn’t lead anymore Buffy. You didn’t have to go, that was your choice.”

“It was leave or sit back and watch as you people got yourselves killed.” There was a crash from in side and a yelp. “That’s my cue.” And she kicked the door in.

Wood was surprised by the sight. A dark, hulking figure stood over a little man who was currently holding his bleeding nose. Upon second look the dark ‘man’ had the face of a vampire.

“You broke his nose?” Buffy asked the vamp.

The vamp reached down and picked the bleeding mean up. “Sorry ’bout that Willy. But you should know better than to hit me.”

“How the hell was I supposed to know it was you?” Willy asked indigently. “Last thing I knew you were in L.A.”

“I said I was sorry didn’t I? You damn well deserve more than a broken nose.”

Buffy was just standing there. Not attacking the vamp or helping the man to get away from the vamp.

Willy looked up, “Slayer, it’s been awhile.”

“Not long enough Willy. But I think we’ll be leaving. We came here for food, and you’re closed.”

“Well I don’t have anything for you, but I got some O positive in the back if you want any.” Willy asked the vamp.

“Thanks Willy.”

Wood couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Buffy was standing with a vamp not ten feet away. They had made the correct decision when they had confronted her. He reached for a stake.

“You wouldn’t get that out before I killed you.” The vamp said quietly. Buffy just smiled.

“You really think that? Wanna find out?”

“Robin, stop. Your fight isn’t with him.” Buffy said.

“Here ya go man.” Willy said as he came out of a back room.

“How much do I owe you?”

“It’s on the house. It woulda went bad anyway.”

“Thanks, and sorry about the nose.”

“It’s not broke, just hurts like hell.”

“Be seeing you.”

“You’re staying in town?”

“Maybe,” the vamp said looking at Buffy.

“Well, that’s good. *Things* were much more pleasant when you were around.” Once again he gave Buffy a look.

Giving the man a wave the vamp headed for the door.

“Bye Willy,” Buffy said over her shoulder.

Wood could do nothing but follow. “Buffy, what in the fuck is going on?”

“You know him?” The vamp asked her.

“Yeah, I do. Robin Wood, Angel, Robin.”

“Let me guess. This one has a ‘soul’ too?” Robin sneered.

“Actually, Angel does.”

“Oh, this is too funny. You’re insane Buffy. You need help. Vamps with souls aren’t real. Spike is playing you, this fuck is playing you.” Wood suddenly found himself pinned against the nearest wall.

“I suggest you take that back.” The vamp snarled in his face. He still had his human visage, but his eyes were flashing amber.

“Angel, he’s not worth it. We gotta get back to the house and show Giles the knife thing-y.”

“It’s a scythe.” The vamp corrected as he dropped Wood.

“Whatever, let’s go.” Buffy and the vamp ‘Angel’ headed in the direction of Revello Drive.

“They’re not gonna let him in.” Wood called after them.

 
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 
“That guy is annoying.” Angel said as they left Wood standing in the middle of the street.

“He doesn’t like vamps. His mom was a Slayer. Killed by [A.N: I can’t remember if Buffy knows Spike killed Wood’s mom or not so I’m gonna say she does] by Spike.”

“She was the second Slayer. That’s where he got that coat.”

“I know.”

They continued in silence. Not saying anything the rest of the way to Buffy’s house. Once there she stopped in the front. Not wanting to enter the war zone that taken over her home. She wanted to go hide with Angel in the mansion and just say fuck the world.

“Come one love, we have to do this. I’ll be right beside you.”

“It’s sad really, I’m afraid of my own friends and family more than I am of the First.” With a sigh she trudged to her door. She debated on knocking, but decided it was her damn door.

So she just stepped in. There were people arguing with each other. Faith was standing in the middle of the room trying to shut people up.

“What the hell is she doing here?” Kennedy asked as soon as she spotted Buffy. Angel had yet to enter. Everyone started to talk at once.

“Hey! HEY! Shut your fucking mouths!” Faith yelled as she lost patience with them.

Buffy self-consciously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. She really wanted Angel beside her right now. He had said he would stand beside her, but she knew he was staying back for her sanity. Cause when they knew he was here shit was gonna hit the fan.

“Hey, guys.” ‘Nice Buffy, way to be lame!’

“’Hey guys’? That’s all you gotta say? You have some nerve coming back here,” Kennedy started.

“Shut up,” Buffy commanded. Kennedy’s mouth opened and closed a few times before she could say anything. As always she had something to say. “You have *got* to be kidding. You just waltz back in here acting like you run the place? You were voted out, we don’t want a tyrant. We have a new leader, one who isn’t gonna get us killed!”

Buffy couldn’t hide the hurt. Angel chose that moment to be the knight in shinning armor. He just stepped in, and the house sounded like Wall Street on a bad day.

“I believe the lady told you to shut up.” He said quietly, thus making everyone quiet down so they could hear his words.

“Lady? Puh-leaz. Buffy may me a lf thf things but lady ain’t one of ‘em!” She could hear Dawn whisper ‘oh no’. The man in front of her seemed to grow right in front of her eyes. She knew she was in serious danger.

“Angel, we’re here for a reason. Let’s just get it over with.” The man looked at Buffy for long seconds before he backed away. He took a protective position behind Buffy.

“Angel, it’s, ah, been awhile.” Giles said trying to be the voice of reason.

“Rupert,” Angel said coldly. This man was the one being he trusted to take care of his mate in his absence. And he comes back to find that Giles had not.

“Well, if it isn’t dead-boy! Come to brood us to death?” Xander sniped.

“Guys can we not do this? I have some info, and then we’re leaving.” Everyone seemed to take an interest in what she was saying. She couldn’t help but feel the irony, she was good enough to give out info, but in no way to lead them.

“Ok B. What do ya got?”

“Why don’t we start out with why dead-boy is here and go from there?”

“Xander,” Willow warned.

“No, he’s right. And I’m not even really sure why Angel is here.” Buffy said as she turned to Angel.

“I got some information from some people in L.A.”

“Cryptic much? Come on big guy. What the fuck does that mean?” Faith asked.

“Wolfram & Hart are back. Lilha gave me the Sunnydale file and an amulet that’s supposed to help Buffy fight.”

“Wow, but Wes said the Beast took ‘em out. and Cordy killed Lilha... ok I’mt.” t.”

“And so are we. My Cordy killed someone.” Then there was a ‘whack’. “Um, I meant Cordy, in a none possessive way.” Xander amended rubbing the red spot Anya left on his arm. They may have not be officially together, but she was still jealous.

“It doesn’t matter. Angel and I went back to the vineyard last night.”

“That would explain the sever bruising the both of you h” O” One of the SIT's said.

“Dear lord, Buffy, are you insane?”

“God, why is everyone asking me that? No, last time I checked I was still beating Dru in the marbles department.”

“Well, one must think you insane when you pull such stunts.”

“I had back up.”

“One person. One, Buffy. You’re bloody well lucky Caleb didn’t finish the both of you off. I would have expected more out of you. The both of you.” This caused everyone to try and add their two cents in.

“That’s enough Rupert.” Angel bellowed over the rise in volume. “Buffy and I did what we had to do. Yes, it was dangerous. But with the allotted amount of time, it was the only thing we could do. Now everyone will keep their mouths shut or I’ll shut them for you. Do we understand each other? Please, Buffy, continue.”

“Like I said Angel and I went back to the vineyard. We were looking for what Caleb and the First were hiding there.”

“But,” Kennedy started, but quickly cut off her sentence at Angel’s glare.

“At first we didn’t see anything. Then Caleb attacked. I noticed a doorway that hadn’t been there the first time we were there. I went back there and found an inscription. I didn’t know what it said, but it opened a portal type thing-y. And this was in it.” She pulled the scythe out of it’s protective covering. “This is what I’m going to use to kill Caleb with. It did some damage last night, but Angel and I needed to regroup before we could really take him on.”

“And bumping uglies is now part of that regroup thing?” Spike growled from the kitchen entrance.

“What? Spike what are you talking about?” Willow asked.

“What I’m talking about is how my dear sire and the slayer smell like they fucked for a good part of today.”

“What? No, Spike they can’t. Can they?” Dawn asked.

“Well, it would bloody well seem they did. Now someone hand me a stake so I can put down Angelus once and for all.”

“You won’t touch him.” Buffy said quietly, her head down. “You’ll have to go through me first.” She said as she raised her gaze from the floor.

“Oh, really. Back up pet. Cause I’m not gonna let ‘im ‘urt you.”

“Oh, look. Spikie’s gonna save the day.” Angel couldn’t help himself. He knew it wouldn’t help him convince the others that he wasn’t Angelus. But damn it all, this little fuck dared to touch his mate. Both demon and soul were in agreement that it was long over due for Spike to have a lesson beaten into him.

“Angel, not here please.” She was begging him, and if he looked at her he knew he’d back down.

“Oh, stop protecting ‘im pet. It’s been awhile, but I’ve learned a lot. Being with a slayer will do that for ya.” Spike taunted.

With a snarl Angel attacked. He neatly kicked Spike through the picture widow.

“I am so not fixing that *AGAIN*!” Xander yelled. But he wasn’t too worried about the widow. This fight could end in the staking of at least one of his most hated vampires. And if the right one got staked Buffy would finish off the other one. Problem was he wasn’t sure which one was the right one anymore.

Angel and Spike were wrestling on the ground like two teenage boys. Finally, Spike flipped Angel off of him. Angel flipped into a standing position. With a growl Spike hurdled himself at Angel. Angel neatly sidestepped Spike, and kicked him in the gut on the way by. He then turned, swinging but was meet with Spike’s fist. The punch sent Angel stumbling.

They traded more punches and kicks, each gaining the upper hand and then losing it. Angel finally had enough. He attacked with a flurry of punches and kicks that had Spike pinned against the large tree in the front yard.

“Now, William. You wanna explain to me why thought it was ok to touch what’s mine?”

“Fuck off. She ain’t ‘yours’ no more. You bloody left. And she headed straight into my arms.”

“William, it would be in your best interest not to lie to me at the moment. I’m in a very bad mood. So let’s try this again. What in the hell did you think you were doing?”

“Well, mainly Buffy.” Angel took out a stake and pressed it against Spike‘s chest.

Buffy wasn’t going to let this go on any longer. So she came up to them and yanked them apart. Sending Angel flying towards the house, and Spike into the street. “That’s enough.”

“Aww, well, tough luck Peaches. Have a fun trip back Las Angelus.” Spike strolled up to Buffy and put his arms around her waist.

“Don’t touch me.” And once more Spike found himself against the tree. “Angel, you ok?” She asked as she reached down to help him up.

“Fine,” he couldhelphelp but wrap his arms around her and kissed her on the crown of her head, “is there anything else, love?”

“Giles, can you research the scythe? Find anything you can on it. Angel and I have some business to take care of.”

“Yeah, business. Buffy, we know what goes on when you two are alone. And it ends with badness. This is just another bad decision, what are you gonna do when the curse breaks? Come crawling back so Will can risk her neck to re curse him?” Xander ranted.

“No,” Willow answered for them.

“What, Willow? What’s that supposed to mean?”

“He won’t lose his soul.”

“Willow, how do you know this?” Angel demanded.

“I, ah, well, I took out the clause in your curse. Your soul is yours. Nothing short of magik will be able to take it away.”

“Um, why wasn’t I told about this years ago?!” Buffy cried.

“Cause, I just did it a few weeks ago.”

“Weeks?” Buffy thought for a few seconds, “When you had that sudden trip. Will, how could you not tell me?” swinging around to confront Angel, she said, “And, why in the hell didn’t you tell me about this?”

“Because we had more important things to talk about.”

“Oh, really? You didn’t feel telling me you got a happy with Cordy wasn’t important? You said there was never a ‘you and Cordy’. You lied to me.” She had tears in her eyes. It hurt to know that he was lying to her.

“No, I didn’t lie. We got a shaman to remove my soul. I promise you, I did not lie. I’m sorry I didn’t say anything, but I knew the kind of reaction I’d get.” He said, giving her a pointed look. “But I have no idea what Willow’s talking about.”

“Well, Buffy, remember when I went all evil? Duh, dumb question, of course you do. Anyway, when I sucked all the info from those books, I found a spell. It gave a being full possession of their soul, well not more than any normal human being. And, I just, ya know, gave Angel’s soul a bit of magik tacky glue. I didn’t say anything cause I couldn’t be sure if it would work. I didn’t want to get your hopes up. But see, it worked!”

Willow suddenly found herself in the arms of Angel. The one place she never thought she’d be. “Thank you.” He said softly in her ear. Then he let go just as fast as he had grabbed her.

“I, ah, you’re welcome.” She said nervously.

Both Angel and Buffy smiled. “We really do need to go. Giles I’ll get in contact in a few hours. Angel and I are going up against Caleb tomorrow night. You all need to stay here, don’t go out for any reason. You all need to be somewhere where there’s some kind of safety.”

Faith gave Buffy a nod, and made a lewd gesture to Angel. Her way of showing her approval of the reunited lovers. Angel shook his head and took Buffy’s hand, kissing her knuckles like they were back in Angel’s day.

Most of the SIT’s were drooling over Angel’s fading ass. They all had a million questions regarding this mysterious man. One of which was how he had kicked Spike’s ass.

But questions would have to wait, it was time for research.


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