Sunnydale, CA
            July, 1999

            Buffy Summers sat on the sofa in the living room of the Summers house. She was reading a book by lamplight. The only reason she was allowed to is because she'd sprained her ankle three days before, while on patrol and she'd run into a particularly ugly demon.

            "What are you reading?"

            Buffy jumped a foot. "Angel, don't do that!"

            Angel laughed and sat on the sofa. "I'm sorry. What are you reading?"

            Buffy dropped the book. "I don't even know. I just picked it up."

            Angel pulled her over. "It's great to know I'm free," he said.

            "Oh, really?"

            He leaned closer. "Yeah."

            "Ahem."

            Buffy and Angel both turned to see Joyce Summers in the doorway, her arms crossed.

            "Oh, hey, Joyce," Angel said. He sat up.

            "While I'm just overjoyed that you aren't cursed anymore, I'm still kind of skeptical over that spell thing. It's one thing to know your daughter is dating a vampire, but . . ."

            "Mom. We get the picture. No mushy in front of you," Buffy said. After Joyce disappeared into the kitchen, Angel said, "She looks like she's taking everything pretty well."

            "Yeah. She was o.k. until I told her the requirements of the spell, but since it was necessary, and I am 18 . . ." Buffy leaned her head against his chest.

            "I've been thinking, Buffy . . . Since I'm not cursed anymore . . ."

            "We can go do stuff?"

            "Well, uh . . ."

            "If you're asking for a really long-term commitment, the answer is yes." Buffy sat up and looked at him. "I know, no kids, but since I'm the Slayer, I could die pretty soon, and I wouldn't want to wish that on my kids, anyway."

            Angel smiled sadly. He knew she wanted children. He wanted them, too. But it wasn't to be for either of them. And they could live with that.

            "O.k. But, since I'm a vampire, do you think I'd be allowed in the church?"

            Aha. It had been that. "Oh, I don't know. We could see about it. Of course, we could just run off to Vegas."

            He laughed. "I don't think so, Buff. Anyway, I wanna see you in a wedding dress."

            "You sure? I mean, all that lace and stuff . . . Kinda not me."

            "Yeah, I'm sure."

            In the kitchen, where she could hear them, Joyce Summers smiled.

            THE END
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