Title: One More Morning
Author: Drusilla
Email: Drus1lla@hotmail.com
Rating: NC-17 in parts
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters used within this story, they are the property of 
Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, FOX, and anyone else who actually has a piece of them.  
See cuz if I owned them, they would 	get the happy endings I always give them!
Author's Notes: I'm not quite sure what to say about this one.  The ending isn't how I 
thought it would be.  Maybe I'll change it later.
Summary: Buffy & Angel get back together.  Do I know how to write anything else? 
Well it is in the aftermath of Faith's journey to the land of the living again, so how's that?



Buffy walked silently through the cemetery, her fingertips grazing the tops of the 
headstones.  She knew she had been cold to the people around her lately, especially 
Riley.  In the aftermath of Faith switching their bodies, she needed the time alone. How 
were they to know?  She had looked like Buffy, talked like Buffy, hell it was her body, 
but it wasn't her soul.  Her mind kept going back to one simple thought, Angel would've 
known.  He would've taken one look into her eyes and known that it wasn't Buffy staring 
back at him.

She knew that she could've gone to him in Faith's body, gazed into his eyes as they so 
often had, and he would've seen her.  The feeling that came over each of them when they 
got near one another was unmistakable.  She knew, deep in her heart, that Angel would 
have recognized her soul.

Buffy continued her sweep through the cemetery, oblivious to the fact that she was being 
followed.  The fact that a total stranger had been the one to recognize the fact she was not 
herself, hurt her more than she could put into words.  She paused long enough to slip the 
stake she carried out of her sleeve and pierce the heart of the vampire who had sprung up 
beside her.


"Man, tell me again why we're following your girlfriend," Forrest quietly demanded of 
Riley. It was no secret he harbored ill feelings for the Slayer, and the fact that he, Riley, 
and Graham were now following her around did nothing to ease those feelings.

"I told you," Riley began, "she's been off since the whole thing with Faith.  I just want to 
watch out for her."

"No offense," Graham interrupted, "but even if she's 'off' she can obviously watch out 
for herself."

"She's upset about the whole thing," Riley explained.  "She has every right to be." He 
held his hand up to silence them, noticing that Buffy had paused before a grave. She was 
kneeling on the grass, resting her fingertips against the name engraved in stone. The three 
soldiers watched in silence as the Slayer pulled a daisy from her coat pocket and set it 
upon the green earth.


"I never got the chance to thank you," Buffy said quietly to Jenny's grave.  "For trying 
anyway, for finding the cure.  I'm sorry I couldn't protect you."  She rose to her feet, and 
continued her slow stroll through the cemetery.  She looked up when she found herself in 
front of the mansion on Crawford Street, some unexplainable force pulling her here. She 
felt closest to him here, in this place where he had lived.

Buffy closed her eyes, swallowing down the emotions building within her.  "I miss you 
so much," she said, a tear rolling down her cheek.  "I need you.  Please come back to 
me." She wiped the tears from her face, then turned and headed back to the campus.

The wind had carried Buffy's words to the men who followed her, leaving them to 
wonder who she was speaking to.  Forrest and Graham turned to Riley for answers, but 
he had none. They packed it in for the night, heading back to their house as well.


Angel sat up in bed, her name unconsciously escaping his lips.  He had heard her so 
clearly.  He felt an ache within his heart that couldn't be explained.  Something had to 
have recently happened to her, and the bond between them was calling him, begging him 
to go to her.  He looked at the phone beside his bed, reaching towards it to call her.  If he 
did though, would she tell him what was wrong?  He didn't think so.  There was only one
option.  She needed him right now that was all that mattered.  He picked up his car keys, 
taking the first step of his journey back to Sunnydale.


Buffy lay on her bed in the dorm room, gazing at the claddagh ring she held in her hand. 
Music was emanating softly from her radio, blanketing her with words of love and loss. 
Exactly what she was feeling right now.  Willow had tried to talk to her about it, how 
Riley couldn't have possibly known.  Buffy had agreed, saying the only thing that came 
to mind.  "How could he know?  He's not Angel."

A knock sounded on the door, bringing Buffy slightly out of her reverie.  She bid the 
person to enter, never taking her eyes from the silver band in her grasp.  Riley stared at 
her from the doorway, curled into a ball on top of her bed.  She was staring at something 
clutched in her hand, not even his presence tearing her gaze from it.

"Can we talk?" he asked, moving to sit next to her.  She scooted up into a sitting position, 
leaning against the headboard as she nodded her assent.  "What's that?"

"People exchanged it as a sign of devotion," she explained quietly.  "It's my claddagh 
ring.  The hands represent friendship, the crown represents loyalty, and the heart," her 
voice faded at the last two words.  She closed her eyes then, it was like she could hear 
Angel's voice repeating the familiar words to her.  A tear slowly made its way down her 
cheek as the memories came flooding back.

Buffy took a calming breath, then wiped her face with her palm.  This tiny stroll down 
memory lane wasn't helping her to feel better at all.  If anything, she was reliving the 
pain that had ensued after the beautiful night she had spent in Angel's arms.  "You wear 
it with the heart pointing towards you," she whispered, slipping it onto the ring finger of 
her left hand.  "It means you belong to somebody."

Riley was left to wonder at that.  He wondered if she meant him.  Did she still belong to 
him?  From the look in her eyes, she was obviously thinking about the person who had 
given her the ring in the first place.  She slid it off her finger, then silently crossed the 
room to place the ring in her jewelry box.

"Buffy, I," he began.  He couldn't think of anything to say to her.

"You don't have to explain.  I mean it's not like anybody else knew either.  Hey, a person 
I've never met before was the only one who knew I wasn't me."

"I should've known," he repeated the same words he had said to her before.

"How could you possibly?  You're not," she stopped herself.  She shouldn't say that to 
him, she didn't want to make him feel worse.  "I just need some time alone," she began 
again.  "Away from you.  I just have to process everything."

"How much time?"

"I don't know.  I tried to tell you from the beginning," she paused to take a breath. "This 
isn't going to work.  Don't say anything," she cut him off.  "Nothing you can say will 
convince me.  I want to be alone right now."  Buffy turned away from him, curling back 
into a ball, resting her head against her pillow.  Riley got up from the end of her bed, 
silently walking out the door.


Willow cast a sidelong glance at her best friend.  They were patrolling the campus 
together.  Buffy had told her that she'd broken up with Riley earlier that day, that things 
couldn't work between them.  She knew that the problems with Riley were stemming 
from the recent problems with Faith.  She wouldn't push though, she would just be a 
friend right now.  "Do you want to talk about it?"

"I can't explain it," Buffy answered.  "I shouldn't be upset with him, I know.  It was my 
body, but a part of me still feels betrayed.  You know?"

"I know," Willow nodded her head.

"Right, what happened with Veruca," Buffy said.

"Yeah," Willow's voice was small.  "Do the space thing for now.  Time and space heal all 
wounds."

"No they don't."

"Huh?" Willow wasn't sure she had heard Buffy's last remarks.
	
"Time and space don't heal anything," the Slayer's voice was hard.  "No matter how 
much time goes by, I'll never forget.  I don't think I want to.  I know I don't want to."

Willow stopped walking, turning to face Buffy.  "Who're we talking about here?"

"Do you have to even ask?"

"I guess I don't," the redhead replied, falling into their slow stride once more.


Angel walked through the brush beneath her window.  The light was off, he couldn't 
sense her presence.  She wasn't there.  He looked around for a moment, then began in a 
direction his heart automatically knew to take.  He walked through a small clearing of 
trees, pausing to look around for a moment.  He felt like he was being followed. He 
shook it off, then cried out as electricity coursed through his body.

Buffy stopped in mid-stride, gasping as pain overwhelmed her senses.  She grabbed onto 
Willow's arm, her friend steadying her, keeping her from falling to the ground.

"Buff, what's wrong?"

"I, it's like I can't breathe," she managed to get out, between the short breaths she was 
struggling for.  "It just hurts inside."  The Slayer immediately began to make her way 
back towards their dorm room.  Letting the feelings in her body indicate which direction 
to take.


Riley and Graham approached the vampire they had just stunned cautiously, Forrest 
keeping a lookout.  They all looked up as they heard someone approaching.  Buffy and 
Willow crashed through the underbrush, stopping short when they saw the commandos.  
The two small groups stared at each other, each keeping silent.

Willow finally turned to her friend, "Not to procure your wiggins, but they're you know. 
Well..." her voice trailed off.

The soldiers were staring at them with a great deal of curiosity.  "Something going on?" 
Riley finally asked.

"Something," Buffy answered.  "Just don't know what yet."

"How do you know?" Riley moved towards her.

"Just a feeling," she whispered.  "Let's go Will."  Buffy turned away from them, then 
suddenly stopped, doubling over slightly in pain.

"Buffy?" Willow couldn't keep the concern from her voice, reaching out to keep her 
friend from falling to the ground.

"What is it?" Graham asked, knowing that she possessed senses that none of them did. If 
something was up, she would be the first to know.

"It's okay," the Slayer began, then paused, turning to look behind her.

"Hey, what's the up?" Willow asked.  "The last time I saw you like this, with the looking 
around was when," the redhead's voice slowly died off.  "Oh."

"When what?" Riley asked.

Buffy whipped around, her gaze sweeping over Riley and his friends, before finally 
resting on the figure  on the ground.  "No," she whispered when she saw him lying there. 
She and Willow immediately rushed forward, ignoring the startled stares.  They stood 
above him, staring down at the familiar body.

"Buffy, it's," Willow couldn't finish the sentence.

She seemed as if she were in shock, her mind and heart slowly taking the time to process 
what she was seeing.  True, she had wished for him to come, but she hadn't believed he 
would.  She had wanted that so many times in the past months, but it had never happened, 
he had never appeared like this.  Buffy dropped to her knees beside him, her hands 
shaking as she reached out to touch Angel's still form.  She whirled on Riley and the 
others, her voice was hard and demanding when she spoke.  "What did you do to him?!"

"Calm down Buffy, it's just a vampire," Forrest's voice was flippant, like he didn't even 
care.

Buffy narrowed her eyes at him, telling herself to remain calm.  However much fun 
violence would be right now, Angel needed her.  She blocked out the past, focusing only 
on the fact that he was defenseless at this moment.  Whatever they had said in LA, about 
keeping their distance, didn't matter.  "Angel can you hear me?"

Willow looked over at the commandos, knowing her friend needed answers.  "How long 
does it take a vamp to recover when you stun them?"

"Depends on the vampire," Riley answered.  "Willow, did you guys know him?"

"We _know_ him," she answered.

Riley looked from Willow down to Buffy, who was softly speaking to the vampire she 
was sitting next to.  "You guys know about demons, that's not your friend anymore.  I'm 
sorry he was killed, but maybe it's best just to stake him."

Buffy blocked out the hateful words she had just heard, keeping her skin in contact with 
Angel's.  "Wake up," she persisted.  She turned her head slightly, looking at the three 
men staring down at her.  "How long?" she demanded.

"The older the vamp, less time it takes them to shake it off," Graham answered.

Buffy nodded, hoping it wouldn't take Angel long to wake up.  He was pretty old after 
all.  She turned back to him, keeping her gaze on his face.  "Open your eyes," she 
whispered.  "Look at me."

"Buffy," Angel managed to call out her name.

The Slayer breathed a sigh of relief, looking up at her best friend who smiled in response.  
"I'm here," she answered.

He opened his eyes slowly, still unable to move.  He looked into her eyes, reading all the 
pain and hurt she was experiencing.  He didn't know exactly what had happened, but his 
feeling had been right, she needed him.  "What happened?"

Buffy swallowed and she shifted her position, gently easing his head onto her lap.  She 
knew he wasn't referring to what had happened to him just now.  "Faith woke up," she 
answered.

Willow noticed how Riley visibly stiffened at the girl's name.  The other two with him 
had obviously heard the story, for they passed their friend a look of pity.

"Is she?" Angel whispered.

"She's gone," Buffy answered.

Angel looked into her eyes again, their depths revealing to him what words hadn't had 
the chance to.  "I would have known," he told her.

"I know you would have," she said, caressing his face as she held him.  "It's all right.  
We're together, and you're going to be okay."

Willow could almost feel her heart breaking as she watched Buffy and Angel together. 
She looked from the two of them over to the soldiers who were watching her in open-
mouthed shock.  They needed to get Angel out of here.  The Initiative could control the 
locks in the dorm rooms, he wouldn't be safe there.  Her mind was working furiously. 
Riley would know to look for them at Giles' apartment, and Xander's basement.  Right 
now, they just needed to get out of here.  "Buffy."

The Slayer looked up from her soulmate to her best friend.  She understood the worry 
etched across Willow's features.  She turned back to Angel.  "Can you get up?"

"I think so," he whispered.  Buffy slipped her arm around his shoulders, helping him sit 
up.  He looked at the people around them, then back at her.  "What's going on?"

"I'll explain later," she promised, wrapping her arms around his waist as he stood. They 
started forward, their path blocked by the three marines who had done this to him. "Get 
out of our way," Buffy said quietly.

"Since when do you help vampires?" Riley asked her, a hint of jealousy tracing his voice 
at the way Buffy was touching Angel.

Buffy glared at them.  "It's none of your business what I do and who I help.  Now get out 
of our way."

Forrest raised his weapon, not moving from her path.  "We have a job to do, we're taking 
it seriously.  Now we've stopped a hostile, we're taking it back to the lab."

Willow moved to Angel's other side, helping to support his weight.  Buffy looked to 
make sure that Willow and Angel were okay, extricating herself from Angel's grasp. 
"Don't you even threaten me.  We are all leaving, and if I have to kick your ass so we do 
it's not a problem.  Now you can save yourself the embarrassment of taking a beating at 
my hands again, or you can get out of the way."

Riley was confused by her attitude.  Even when he had discovered she was harboring 
Hostile 17, she hadn't been well so focused on protecting him.  He looked at the two of 
them, the vampire seemed to know things about her that had only happened recently. 
Riley had known what he had been referring to when he said he would've known.  But 
how would he have known?  Did it have something to do with a vampire and a Slayer 
thing?

Angel could feel his strength slowly returning.  If it came down to a fight, he could 
probably hold his own right now.  He moved away from Willow, coming to stand behind 
Buffy. He didn't know exactly what was going on, but he could sense something 
happening between Buffy and the commando team.  "Buffy, let's go."

Buffy looked at him out of the corner of her eye.  He could stand on his own now, that 
was good.  She gave a slight, barely perceptible nod.  Willow moved ahead of them, still 
trying to decide where would be the best place to go.

"Are you just gonna let them go?" Forrest incredulously asked Riley.

Buffy spun around quickly, her kick knocking Forrest's weapon from his hands.  She was 
in a fighting stance, and without having to look she knew Angel was behind her, ready to 
fight as well.  "Try and stop us," her voice was low and hard.

The three soldiers knew they were no match for her, especially if this vampire was 
fighting with her.  He might not be back to full strength yet, but they didn't want to find 
out what kind of damage he could do to them.  Their movements just now had been fluid 
and graceful, moving to protect each other instinctually.  Riley didn't know how he 
knew, but he felt certain they would make a formidable team.

Without thinking about what he was doing, Angel reached out a hand to touch her. She 
turned away from the three boys in front of her to look at him.  He saw her swallow, and 
knew that at any moment the awkward tension that had been between them in LA could 
return.

Willow saw the way they were beginning to lose themselves in each other's eyes.  "Guys! 
Catching up later, getting out of here now!"

Buffy broke the heated gaze, turning to Riley and his friends once more.  Their faces 
were all masks of confusion, not understanding the events that were unfolding before 
them.  She immediately began walking backwards, Angel's cool hand wrapped around 
hers leading the way.  She didn't want to take her eyes off the soldiers as they made their 
retreat.


Riley let out a groan of frustration as he crossed the courtyard to Giles' front door. He 
had searched every place he could think of, and had not found Buffy or Willow. They 
weren't at their dorm, or with Xander.  He had even gone to Buffy and Willow's homes. 
They were gone.  He realized that he should've probably come here first, she had once 
told him that this was where she and the others met.

"Hello Mr. Giles," he greeted the man who opened the door.  "Have you seen Buffy?"

"Just call him Giles," Xander called.  "The rest of us do."

"I need to find Buffy," Riley's tone was worried, as he entered the apartment.

"Did something happen?" Giles was immediately concerned.

"I was patrolling with my team, we stopped a vampire.  Buffy and Willow came along, I 
don't know exactly what happened but he took off with them."

"A vampire took Buffy?" Xander asked, getting up from the couch.  "Fess up Spike, 
what'd you do with them?"

Riley looked up as Hostile 17 walked in from the back.  "Please, if I had my way I 
would've killed her two years ago."  He rolled his eyes when he saw Riley standing there.  
"Soldier Boy lost the Slayer already?"

The assembled group turned as Willow burst through the front door.  "Giles!"

"Where's Buffy?" Riley demanded, moving towards the redhead.

"Willow, is Buffy all right?" Giles asked.

"Oh she's fine," Willow answered.  She began babbling in her usual manner.  "She's 
probably an emotional roller coaster right now, but physically she's okay."

"Oh right bloody priceless!" Spike laughed, realization dawning on him.  "I haven't had 
this many laughs, well I can't remember since when."

"What're you saying?" Giles asked, leaning against the wall.

Willow looked around at the expectant faces.  "Uh see we were doing the patrolling 
thing, when we ran across them," Willow pointed at Riley.  "This shouldn't be so hard to 
say, except for the fact that she's going to be a mess again!"

"We need to help Buffy," Riley insisted.

"Yeah, blondie over here said a vamp made off with you guys," Xander said, nodding his 
head towards Riley.

"They're a little slow, Red," Spike cut in.  "Don't you blokes get it?!  My Sire's come 
back to the Hellmouth."



The soft orange light from the fireplace danced angrily as the wood burned.  The flames 
licking at the wood, casting eerie shadows on the floor, was the only light in the now 
almost deserted mansion.  Angel stared at Buffy, halfway across the living room leaning 
against the wall, waiting.  Waiting for what?  What were they doing here?  He cleared his 
throat, getting her attention.

Buffy turned towards him, noticing he was about to say something.  She beat him to it. 
"What are you doing here?"

Angel looked away from her, wondering the very same thing himself.  "I don't really 
know," he answered honestly.  "All I know is that you needed me."

"I've needed you before," she said, unable to keep the pain from her voice.

"I'm sorry, I didn't want to," he trailed off.  "I shouldn't have come, you've started over.  
Moved on..."

"Yeah, new life, so wonderful."  Buffy sighed deeply, turning to gaze out at the night. 
"Nothing's really changed though, everything's different now but it's not.  Buffy still 
patrols, daylight not figuring in a whole lot cuz you know still have classes.  Big brewin' 
evil always popping up, no rest for the Slayer."

"You still have the others," he reminded her.  "And obviously new friends..."

"Right, soldier boys.  You're probably wondering about that."

"I was kind of curious about being electrocuted," he admitted.

"Apparently there's this military group who knows about demons and vampires.  They 
capture them, run all sorts of tests, that kind of thing.  They got Spike, he can't hurt 
anybody right now."  Buffy paused to take a breath, knowing this would be the hard part.  
"And it turns out the guy I started seeing was, is part of this little group. So was my 
psychology professor who tried to have me killed when I found out about the super 
demon she was creating."

Angel swallowed, trying to hide the hurt at the knowledge that she was seeing someone. 
But hadn't he told her to move on, to date, to have a normal relationship?  It didn't make 
the pain any less.  "What happened?"

"Super demon killed her, got loose.  I don't know how to stop him," she answered, 
shaking her head.

"You'll figure it out," Angel assured her.  Buffy turned to look at him, the uncertainty 
written on her face.  "You always do."

She turned away from him, looking down at her hands.  She began playing with her rings, 
unsure of what to say to him next.  She didn't want to talk about what had happened with 
Faith, she didn't want to hurt Angel by letting him know she'd slept with Riley.  "So, 
how long are you staying?"



Giles and Xander turned to Willow for confirmation.  Willow gestured towards Spike, 
"What he said.  My whole build up of babble there, what Spike said."

Riley looked at the others.  "Anybody going to tell me what's going on?"

Spike saw that the other three were silent.  Well just because he couldn't beat the soldier 
boy physically didn't mean he couldn't inflict some emotional pain.  "What, he doesn't 
know?"

Willow shook her head.  "Spike, don't."

"Sorry Red, I'm going to have my kicks.  It works like this see," he began.  "The poof 
knew something was up, knew the Slayer needed him, so he came a running.  I was right, 
he is her lap dog."

"There's something that's been bugging me, about earlier," Riley interrupted.

"I'll bet," Xander quipped.  "Did they start with the googly eyes?"

"Of course they did mate," Spike laughed.  "That's what those two do."

Riley frowned at them.  "He said he would've known, that's what the other vampire said.  
I take that to mean Faith," he choked on her name.  "Does it have to do with being a 
vampire, and she's a Slayer?"

"Oh no, it's a soulmates thing," Spike answered.  He smiled at Riley's stricken look. "See 
I came across her and I didn't know.  Got the Slayer-vibe, but that's to be expected.  
Faith is a Slayer after all.  But no, see Angel would've taken one look at his little Buff 
and just known it wasn't her.  She could've run up to him in Faith's body, much like she 
did with you mate, but the difference is that he would've looked right into those eyes and 
seen Buffy."

"What?"  Riley sank down onto the sofa in shock.

"Well you don't know," Willow began.  Giles and Xander both gave her a look that let 
Willow know they didn't believe that for a second.  "Well yeah, I guess.  Yes, okay 
Angel would've known.  None of us did, but he would have.  I'm a bad friend."

"Naw, you're not a bad friend Will," Xander quickly disagreed.  "Cuz then I'd be a bad 
friend, and I don't think I was a bad friend.  I was bad, wasn't I?"

"I, at least, should've known something was up," Riley stated again.

"Again Fish Boy," Spike mocked, "the soulmates thing.  Angel's her soulmate, you're 
not.  Hence the he would've known, you didn't statement."

Riley looked like he'd just been hit in the gut.  "You mean Buffy, and that vampire?"

"I never understood it either," Xander commented.  "But from the get go those two were 
like, can't describe it."

"Wrong seems appropriate," Spike mused.

"No, but they were so right together."  Willow was off in her little fantasy world again.  
"Except for the whole, well you know."

"Yes, we know," Giles interrupted.  "And I'll thank the three of you not to bring it up.  In 
any event, Buffy and Angel are both fine I'm sure.  You can all go now."

"My work here is done anyway," Spike smirked.  "I'll see the lot of you later." He picked 
up his duster and headed towards the door, humming to himself.   He couldn't help one 
last dig at soldier boy, "Of course if I were the lot of you, I'd be worried about them 
shagging again.  You know how much fun Peaches is when he isn't all soul-having.  Well 
you three do, I'd like to see Fish Boy find out."  Spike's smile grew at the look of shock 
and pain on Riley's face.  Yes, his job here was done.

"You don't think?" Xander began, after the door had closed behind Spike.

"What?" Giles asked, breaking out of his reverie.  "No, they wouldn't.  They know 
what's at risk, and they're..."

"Missing each other terribly, she just went through this whole drama, Angel knew 
something was wrong, they're alone, and we're all probably going to die," Xander threw 
out in one breath.

"No," Willow cut him off.  "Like Giles said, they know what's at risk."

"What's going on?" Riley asked.  They knew something, all of them, and he wanted to 
know too.

"Nothing that we can tell you about," Giles answered, shooting a glare in Xander's 
direction.  "Now Buffy is fine, and I suggest you all go home."

Riley stood with Willow and Xander outside Giles' closed door.  He turned to them in 
question, both of them exchanging glances.  "Are you guys going to tell me what's going 
on?"

Xander started to say something but was stopped by Willow's punch in the arm. "That 
hurt!"

"It was supposed to," Willow snapped.  She turned to Riley, her puzzlement evident on 
her face.  "I thought you guys were taking some time apart, doing the space thing? That's 
what she told me, so I don't really think it's any of your business."

"Willow, I'm sorry I hurt her."  Riley stopped, taking a calming breath.  "I just want to 
make sure she's okay."

"She's with Angel," Xander began.  "Ow!  Will, knock it off."

"So she's fine," Willow finished his statement.


Buffy stood, staring into the fire.  Every cell in her body was aching, screaming for his 
touch again.  She swallowed and glanced in his direction.  "This silence thing is 
getting..."

"I know," Angel called from the shadows where he was hiding.  Some habits were hard to 
break.

She could feel his eyes on her, caressing every inch of her like she wished his hands were 
doing.  "I don't want to talk about it."

"It might help."

Riley slowly made his way down the stone steps into the garden.  It didn't matter that the 
others weren't worried, he was.  He had seen her here once, she might have come back.  
He was cautious as he peeked through the windows.  He saw her standing in front of the 
fireplace, her arms crossed over her chest.  He was about to go inside, to try and comfort 
her again, when a movement out of the shadows caught his eye.

"Talk to me," Angel whispered from somewhere behind her.

"She woke up," Buffy began.  "The hospital called.  She...she went after my mother. I got 
there in time, we fought.  She put this metal thingie on her hand... she grabbed mine 
while we were fighting.  The next thing I knew, I was staring at me."  Buffy took a deep 
breath.  Talking to Angel was helping, easing the ache slightly.  She was sure the only 
reason was because it was him.  "Got captured by council guys who tried to kill me 
because they thought I was Faith.  A friend of Willow's figured it out when she met well, 
'not me' for the first time.  None of them knew.  After everything I
just kept having one thought."

"What's that?" Angel asked quietly.

"That you would've known.  That I could've gone to you and you would've seen me. Or 
that if she had gone to you, you would've known it wasn't me."

Angel came up behind her, slipping his arms around her waist.  Buffy shuddered slightly 
when she felt his arms around her.  She closed her eyes and leaned back against him, 
pressing her back against his chest.  She turned her face in towards his neck, breathing 
deeply of his scent.  Buffy didn't know when the tears started, only that they were there.  
"I miss you, so much," she let out in a shaky breath.

"I know," he answered.  "I miss you too."

"Then why?" she asked, turning to face him.

Angel raised a hand to her face, brushing the tears away with his thumb.  "Your life is 
better without me in it."

"Does it look better to you?"

"You have the normal life you always wanted," Angel stated, beginning to regret he had 
come in the first place.

"I'm never going to have a normal life," she stopped him from saying anything by laying 
a finger over his lips.  "And what life I do get to live, it's going to be short."

"No," Angel shook his head.  "That's not going to happen to you."  Buffy started to say 
something but Angel cut her off.  "It's not true."

"It is," she insisted.  "I've always known that one of these nights when I go out on patrol, 
I won't be coming back.  Every Slayer before me knew it, and every single one after me 
will too.  I keep going out there though, because like you told me, there are people worth 
fighting for."

"I don't want anything to happen to you," Angel whispered, emotions making his voice 
hoarse.

"It's not up to you to save me," Buffy answered.  Suddenly she found herself crushed 
against Angel's broad chest, his arms holding her tightly.  She looked up at him, their 
eyes meeting, before his lips descended upon hers.


Riley backed away from the window in shock, unable to believe what he was seeing. 
Buffy, his Buffy, in the arms of a vampire.  He had never seen her like this before, 
passionate almost seemed to be not enough to describe it.  They were kissing each other 
desperately, hands roaming over whatever part of each other they could reach.  Riley's 
eyes widened as he saw Buffy's top fly across the room, her golden skin almost glowing 
in the fire's light.  A burning pain ripped through his heart as he watched Angel caressing 
her, kissing her, hearing her moans of ecstasy.


Buffy opened her mouth under Angel's, welcoming the invasion of his cool tongue.  She 
moaned out in pleasure as he trailed kisses to her neck, his lips brushing over her scar, his 
mark on her flesh.  She slipped her hands underneath his sweater, caressing his skin 
before lifting the barrier between them over his head.  They both moaned aloud in 
pleasure when their bare skin finally made contact.  Buffy managed to open her eyes long 
enough to meet Angel's smoldering gaze.

"I love you ," she whispered, her fingertips gently grazing his face.

"I love you," he answered, then quickly swept her up into his arms, carrying her to the 
bedroom.


Riley pounded on the door to Willow and Buffy's dorm room, praying that someone 
would open it.  The others had said there would be trouble if what he had begun to 
witness took place, he needed to know.  He raised his hand to knock again when the door 
flew open.  Xander looked at him like he was a deranged lunatic, his eyebrows raised in 
question.  "I need to know," Riley walked into the room, looking from Willow to Xander.

"No you don't," Willow answered.

"You guys started saying something about Buffy and, that vampire," Riley choked out. "I 
found them, I need to know what will happen."

"What do you mean?" Xander moved towards him.

"I found them," Riley repeated.  "They were talking and then...."

"Oh it's not gonna happen, huh?" Xander shrieked at Willow.  "You know what happens 
if Buffy gives him a happy!  We get dead!"

"You're jumping to conclusions here," Willow argued.  "They wouldn't put us in danger 
like that!"

"The two of them just being around each other pretty much does that!" Xander spat.

"This is not the time for one of your jealous fits," Willow commented, watching as 
Xander flinched.  "You have never liked Angel, we've all known that.  And yes, I am 
worried about what might happen.  But don't you think they've been through enough?! 
Just leave them alone."

"We need to be sure that he still has a soul," Xander began.  "I'm going, with or without 
you Will."


Angel stirred in his sleep, waking to find himself alone in bed.  He looked around the 
dark room, he could still feel her.  He quickly rose from the bed, pulling on his boxers 
and slacks, going in search of his lover.  He found Buffy standing in front of the 
fireplace, clad in his sweater, gazing into the fire's depths.  She turned towards him when 
he entered the room, able to sense his nearness just as he could do with her.

"Hey," she said softly.  "I couldn't sleep."

"You should've woken me up," he said, wrapping his arms around her.

She nuzzled her face against his chest, running her lips gently over his skin.  She turned 
her gaze up to him then, her green eyes meeting his chocolate ones.  "I never thought," 
she began.  "I mean I dreamt, and I hoped, but I never actually thought..."

"I know," he whispered, then leaned down and brushed his lips with hers.

And that was how Willow, Xander, and Riley found them.  Locked in an embrace that 
carried them away from their present, where they were the only two beings that existed.

Buffy reached her hand up, caressing his face, memorizing every feature with her 
fingertips.  "I can't go back to the way things were.  When you're not here, it's like 
there's this piece of me that's missing."  Her eyes were already beginning to fill with 
tears at the mere thought of being separated from Angel again.

"I promise you, we won't go back.  Everything's changed now.  I don't know why we're 
getting this chance, but I won't waste it.  It hurts too much to be away from you," Angel 
said.  He laid his cheek against the top of her head, tightening his arms around her small 
frame.

Of the three faces in the window, Willow's was the only one that bore a smile. The 
hopeless romantic in her was glad to see Buffy and Angel together once more. Unlike the 
others she knew that Buffy wept in her sleep at night, sometimes crying out for her 
vampire.  And with everything that had happened with Faith recently, she knew that 
Angel was what Buffy needed right now.  "Let's go," she whispered to the others.

"But..." both men protested.
	
"Leave them alone," she practically growled.  "Angel obviously still has his soul, or she'd 
be dead already.  Let's go now," she stayed rooted in place until Riley and Xander 
headed up the steps and out of the garden.

Buffy broke away from Angel, turning to look out the windows.  "Did you hear 
something?"

Angel couldn't help but smile down at her, her face still flushed from their moments of 
passion.  "Just you, he whispered.

Buffy turned back up to him, smiling the first genuine smile she had in months.  She 
closed her eyes as his lips moved over hers once again.  His kisses trailed down to her 
neck, tasting her flesh.  "We should really," Buffy managed to get out.  "Let the others 
know we're okay."

"Right," Angel agreed, bringing his mouth towards hers again.  He pulled her back 
towards the bedroom, kissing her face as they went.  "Get dressed....make ourselves 
presentable...."

"Later," Buffy breathed, pushing him backwards onto the bed.


"Are you certain?" Giles looked over the rim of his glasses and Xander and Riley.

"Definitely," Xander replied.

"Seeing your girlfriend in the arms of another man, let alone a vampire isn't something 
you're likely to forget anytime soon," Riley snapped.

Willow glared at the boy from her position beside Spike.  "Behave or I'll turn you into a 
rat," she threatened.  "I've got that part of the spell down, it's the turning back into a 
person that's giving me trouble."

"Nice one pet," Spike smirked.  "That I'd like to see."

A knock on the door made the assembled group turn their heads.  Giles pushed his 
glasses up, sighing as he got up to answer the door.  "Buffy."

Buffy smiled sheepishly as she crossed the threshold into Giles' apartment.  She looked 
around the room, taking in the glares from Xander and Riley, the worried expression on 
Giles' face, the knowing smirk from Spike, and the hope from Willow. "Hey guys," she 
greeted.

"So where's Dead Boy?" Xander asked with barely concealed hatred.  "How soon can we 
expect to be dead?"

Buffy took a calming breath before answering.  "Don't call him that."

"So what, I accidentally cheated on you, and now you've had your indiscretion too?" 
Riley asked angrily.

"No, that's not what happened.  It's complicated," Buffy sighed, running her hands 
through her hair.

Riley turned when Angel came through the door.  He gave the vampire a withering look 
before turning back to Buffy.  She had said she didn't want to see him right now, but that 
didn't make knowing she had slept with someone else any easier.  Especially since that 
someone else turned out to be a vampire.

"Angel," Giles greeted.
	
"Giles," Angel responded in kind.
	
"I can't believe you two!" Xander exploded.

"Oh give it a rest mate," Spike interceded.  "This song and dance of yours is getting old.  
Hey Peaches, how ya doing?"

"Spike," Angel greeted his childe.  "Get that pesky chip out of your head yet?"

"Very funny mate," Spike stood up picking up his duster.  He paused at the doorway. 
"Figures it takes you getting some to get a sense of humor."

Buffy rolled her eyes at Spike, then turned back towards Giles, Riley and Xander. "We 
just thought we'd let you know that everything's okay," she said to her Watcher.

"Yes that was quite good of you both," Giles said, meeting their gazes.

"Right," Buffy nodded her head at his tone, then turned and walked out the door.

"Buffy wait!" Angel called, he cast a sidelong glance at the others.  "What bothers you so 
much, that we actually thought of ourselves for once?  Or that we didn't ask your 
permission first?"  He turned away from them and went after her.

Willow stared at Giles in disbelief.  "You know you guys are unbelievable!" she raged. 
She turned to Riley, "First of all you, she broke up with you so you have no business 
even being here!"  Xander swallowed as he saw her anger turning on him next.  "And you 
two," she included Giles in her wrath, "you would think you could be a little 
understanding!  After everything they've been through you'd think their closest friends 
would be happy for them!  I can't believe you!" she yelled, slamming the door behind 
her.


Two days later Xander sat in Giles' living room with Willow, Anya, and the former 
Watcher. Buffy and Angel had disappeared once again, and Xander had a sneaking 
suspicion that Willow knew where they were but just wouldn't tell them.

Anya turned to look at him, wondering why he was angry, she made it a point to bring it 
up.  "I don't know why you're so upset," she broke the silence-filled room.  "When you 
want sex I'm more than happy to give it to you," she said to Xander.  She turned to Giles, 
"And when you have your orgasm friends over we leave you alone.  Unless heart-stealing 
monsters come to town."

Giles looked over at Willow.  "Are you still not talking to us?"  Her silence affirmed that 
he was correct.  He sighed, running a hand over his face.  "Look Willow, I know our 
reactions were not, well we definitely could've handled the situation better.  But 
considering what happened last time, I would think you would be a trifle more 
understanding."

Willow narrowed her eyes at him, then glanced down at her watch.  "I have to go," she 
stated to no one in particular.  "Buffy will be back soon and I have to help her pack."

"Pack?!" Xander exclaimed.
	
Willow turned back to look at them.  "At the end of the semester she's moving in with 
Angel.  We're packing up all the non-essentials.  We'll be at our dorm room tonight if 
you want to apologize."

"What about the psycho-robot on the loose?" Xander asked.

"I'm looking into some spells, actually," Willow answered.  She made her way to the 
door and looked back at the three people there.  She took a deep breath, then met each of 
their gazes in turn.  "I think you guys need to accept the fact that they'll always be part of 
each others' lives.  Maybe then we can get back to normal around here."

"Well as normal as living on the mouth of Hell can be," Anya quipped.


The End