Disclaimers: NutMeg says I can claim Angel, but I don’t think Joss Whedon would agree with her. So no, I don’t own them.
Spoilers: Fourth story of “Every Breath You Take,” following “Holding My Breath.” So same as last time – takes place after “Superstar” and “Eternity.” Everything after that is ignored.

It was Monday morning in L.A. and already Angel Investigations was filled with activity. It surprised Angel more than a bit to stand outside the door and hear both Wesley and Cordelia speaking inside. To be more precise, they seemed to be arguing. Angel had expected to have to track down the two of them after his weekend’s absence, not to find them already in the office.

Angel opened the door slowly. Neither Cordelia nor Wesley noticed his entrance, caught up as they were in their argument. Angel closed the door behind him, stood back, and watched.

“Well, sorry if I have something better to do with my time than chase after demons!” Cordelia was yelling.

“Better?” Wesley retorted, absolutely shocked. “Do you have any comprehension of how important your visions are? Without them….”

“Oh, please,” Cordelia replied disdainfully. “No one had these visions back in Sunnydale, and we got along just fine.” She calmed for a moment. “Besides, I haven’t had a vision in three days, since Angel left. It’s a new record. When…no, if he returns, I really don’t think….”

“Don’t think what?” Angel asked softly from the doorway.

Both of them stopped abruptly, identical guilty looks on their faces. “Umm, welcome back, Angel,” Wesley said quickly.

Angel grinned and came the rest of the way into the office. “Thanks,” he said, leaning against the file cabinet. “So, Cordelia, don’t think what?”

Cordelia looked uncharacteristically nervous, but she spoke strongly. “Well, I mean, with this whole ‘living vampire’ thing and the fact that you just came back from Sunnydale …and aren’t in full brooding mode, so I’d guess that everything’s going well…”

“For once, yes,” Angel agreed. And it was, for once in his life, going perfectly. He smiled tolerantly at Cordelia, knowing there was something she was hesitant to bring up. “As a result, you don’t think…”

“That you’ll be needing me much anymore,” she finally blurted. “For the visions and all.”

Angel was speechless for a moment. He’d gotten so used to having Cordelia around that he didn’t know how to reply to that. It might just be a step towards one solution, though. “What’s going on?” Angel asked slowly.

“Cordelia got a new job,” Wesley said, still rather angry.

Cordelia glared at him.

“Congratulations,” Angel said brightly, much to both of their surprise. “So, what’s the job?”

Cordelia looked startled at his response but answered anyway. “It’s…I’ll be helping with wardrobe for a television studio…and you know that I’d stay here, but this is a real job and, well, if I’m going to be a star I should be closer to everything that’s going on. Not here on the edges with the demons. No offense.”

“None taken,” Angel said with a chuckle.

Wesley watched their exchange in shock. “But, Angel…” he began.

Angel shook his head. “I knew Cordelia wouldn’t be here forever,” he explained. He smiled at Cordelia again. “This is a good opportunity for you,” he said. “Just do one favor for me.”

Cordelia hesitated. “It depends on the favor,” she said at last.

“If you do have any visions, you’ll call me immediately and tell me what you saw?”

“I will,” Cordelia said. “Well, as long as I’m not in the middle of something really important.”

Angel knew that was the best he was going to get out of her and smiled at her reassuringly. “Thanks.”

Suddenly Cordelia got an amused smile as she looked at Angel. “So, where am I going to be calling with these visions?” she asked.

Angel laughed outright at Cordelia perceptiveness. “That depends on how fast we find a new place,” he said easily.

“I knew it! I told you!” Cordelia yelled at Wesley.

Wesley just looked confused. “I don’t understand. ‘We’?”

“Him and Buffy,” Cordelia said in exasperation.

“Buffy asked me to marry her,” Angel said at last and did not bother to hide his grin.

“My turn,” Cordelia said enthusiastically. “Congratulations!” she said and, much to Angel’s surprise, gave him a brief hug.

Wesley wasn’t quite as enthusiastic, but he added his congratulations to hers. Angel could imagine some of what he was thinking and looked at him tolerantly. “If you’re willing to move,” Angel said calmly to him, “I could really use your help moving the business to Sunnydale.”

Wesley brightened considerably. “I would be happy to help,” he said. “I have missed the Hellmouth,” he admitted. “It would be good to see Mr. Giles again.”

There was a comfortable pause in the conversation.

“Let me get this straight,” Cordelia said at last. “Buffy asked you to marry her?”

Angel nodded.

Cordelia chuckled. “Good for her.”

Angel looked startled at that.

“Hey!” Cordelia said, seeing his surprise. “Just because I haven’t been that supportive of you two in the past, doesn’t mean I’m not going to approve of her showing some guts.” She paused then, taking a deep breath and continued in a softer tone. “I know you miss her, and it would have taken you forever to ask her yourself.”

Angel nodded slightly at that. “You’re probably right.”

“So,” Wesley said, speaking up once again, “when’s the wedding?”

Angel grinned at the thought. “We didn’t come up with a specific time, but…as soon as possible.” And then he continued telling his employees about his and Buffy’s busy weekend.

That wasn’t why she was staring, though. Every couple of seconds it seemed Angel would take a moment to look up at the afternoon sunlight and smile. Angel had been half-human of sorts for nearly three days now, but this was the first time Cordelia had ever seen him in the sunlight. That was strange enough, but then there was that smile. She’d spent nearly a year working for Angel, and she’d never seen him smile this much. He looked ridiculous, and she was quick to tell him that.

“You’re grinning like a fool,” she said in a rather disgusted tone.

Angel glanced over at Cordelia and chuckled. “Don’t I have reason to?” he asked, returning his attention to the road.

Cordelia rolled her eyes even though he wouldn’t see it. “I though I understood you after working for you for months. You brood, and I’m used to that. But when you’re…this giggling thing…I don’t know how to talk to you.”

Angel laughed outright at that. “I don’t giggle,” he disagreed.

“Whatever,” Cordelia said noncommittally. “It’s close enough. You’re…bubbly.”

“Bubbly?” Angel asked. Now he sounded highly amused. “I’ve never been called ‘bubbly’ before.”

“You’ve never been bubbly before!” Cordelia pointed out.

Angel just turned and smiled at her again for a moment before returning his attention to the road. “It hasn’t sunken quite yet,” Angel admitted. “I’m sure once it has I’ll be just as capable of brooding as ever, but right now…I’m on happiness overload.”

“Which you don’t know how to deal with in any way other than being a bubbly, grinning…something-or-other,” Cordelia finished.

“If you want to put it that way,” Angel said amicably, his mouth twitching into a grin once again.

They rode a short ways farther in silence. Suddenly Angel began to pull over. Cordelia looked around in confusion. “What are you doing?” she stammered. “There’s no grocery store around here.”

Angel stopped the car easily, pulling into a parking space. “I’m buying Buffy an engagement ring,” he said calmly, climbing out of the car and pointing at the jewelry store a couple of stores down the street.

Cordelia did not move from the car. “Angel…” she whined.

Angel leaned over her door and looked at her with a hint of pleading. “Please, Cordelia?”

Cordelia still didn’t move.

“I could really use your help. I haven’t exactly spent that much time in jewelry stores,” he added.

Finally Cordelia opened the door and got smoothly out of the convertible. “I’ll have you know I’m doing this under protest.”

Angel stepped back from the door and chuckled. “Thank you,” he said sincerely.

“Come on,” Cordelia said easily. “The faster we do this the faster it will be done and I can go home.”

Angel smiled and led the way into the jewelry shop. Cordelia was instantly caught up in looking around; here were the signs of wealth. She had to remind herself that she had neither the time nor the money to buy anything in here. For that matter, she wasn’t sure that Angel had the money a place like this required either.

“Angel…” she said reluctantly.

He didn’t hear her, for he had managed to attract the attention of a well-dressed sales woman. She gave him her best sales smile as she approached. “What can I help you with?” she asked Angel.

“I’m looking for an engagement ring,” Angel explained. Cordelia thought he looked a little nervous, but she wasn’t sure.

The sales woman’s fake smile got even larger. “Right this way,” she said, directing Angel to the appropriate row of display cases. She smiled at Cordelia once they stood still again. “Is this the lucky woman?” the sales lady asked Angel, still looking at Cordelia.

“God, no!” Cordelia protested with a shocked expression. She looked at Angel a touch apologetically. “No offense, Angel,” she said for the second time that day.

Angel looked highly amused. “None taken,” he assured her, then looked back at the sales woman.

“Alright, the rings,” the woman said, reaching into the display case. “Do you see any in particular that you like?”

Cordelia felt that she had to speak up again as soon as Angel leaned intently over the jewelry. “Angel,” she hissed in his ear, trying to draw his attention again.

Angel looked at her worriedly. “What’s wrong?”

Ignoring his concern, she asked what she’d wanted to ask all along. “Are you sure you can afford this? We’re not exactly rolling in cash.”

“I can afford this,” Angel said with certainty.

“Angel!” Cordelia protested.

Angel just smiled and went back to looking at the rings.

That thought made her snap back to reality, albeit somewhat reluctantly. All week. It was only Tuesday. Late afternoon Tuesday, and Buffy was sitting through her last class of the day. She still had three days of classes to go until the weekend. Sighing, she sank low in her chair. Three days until she would see Angel again.

It was strange. The usual routine of school had lent a dream like quality to the weekend just past. It was as if life in school was too real, almost making Buffy doubt that the weekend – that wonderful weekend – had happened at all.

Buffy shifted in her seat and her leg twinged. She smiled briefly. Any time she felt the weekend was too unreal, she had a very real broken leg to remind her. It probably had healed already, but she couldn’t take the cast off without a doctor. Besides, it got her sympathy from her teachers, which was always a good thing.

The class was over none too soon. Willow waited patiently as Buffy tried to get her things together. She’d never realized quite how hard it was to carry a backpack on crutches. She had to hop on one leg as she put her backpack on, then get herself balanced on the crutches. It was annoying.

“Do you wasn’t me to carry anything?” Willow offered helpfully.

“I’ve got it,” Buffy said, happy to be heading back to the dorm. “I can’t wait to take this cast off.”

“This weekend, right?” Willow asked, walking slowly beside her.

Buffy’s nodded. “I’m sure my leg is healed already, but it would be sort of giving away my Slayer-ness if I went to the hospital and said ‘take my cast off now.’”

Willow smiled slightly at Buffy’s annoyance. “Well, look on the bright side. You got a week off.”

“Yeah, but nothing to do with it,” Buffy replied grumpily.

Willow shook her head. “Come on, grouch. It’s back to the dorm with you. I am going to find some way to cheer you up.”

Buffy frowned pointedly at her.

“Smile, or I’ll make you study,” Willow teased.

“Yes Mother.”

Willow grinned. They continued for several moments more, then Buffy’s crutch got stuck in an uneven section of pavement. She missed a step and hopped for a second before she regained her stride. “Are you sure you don’t want me to carry something?” Willow offered again.

“I can do it,” Buffy said sourly. “I’m not helpless.”

Willow wisely said nothing in response.

Buffy didn’t mean to be so grumpy. She just couldn’t help it. She’d never had this sort of forced inactivity before. Sure, she’d lost her strength once, but even then she kept fighting. Even when she’d been hospitalized with the flu she had ended up monster fighting.

She had yet to try and stake a vampire while on crutches. She was not looking forward to it.

So intent was Buffy on getting back to the dorm without any additional scrapes, bruises, or broken limbs that she wasn’t paying much attention to anything else around her anymore. It took several coughs and a pointed “Buffy!” before she turned her attention back to Willow.

“I’m sorry, what?” Buffy said distractedly, looking at Willow.

“Smile.” Buffy sighed dramatically and glared at her, making Willow laugh outright. “You have a visitor,” she said, nodding her head towards the building they were approaching.

Confused, Buffy directed her gaze towards Stevenson Hall. There, leaning against the building next to the door, was a very familiar figure. Suddenly proving just how agile a Slayer on crutches can be, Buffy forgot all about Willow and bolted towards the building.

“Angel!” she cried happily, her sour mood forgotten.

The not-quite-vampire grinned at her approach, meeting her half way. Not saying a word, he wrapped his arms around her and met her in a brief, gentle kiss.

Buffy would have none of that. Wrapping her arms around him, she deepened the kiss for a long, passionate moment. She didn’t care who was watching; she’d missed these sorts of moments…ever since they’d discovered the full reality of Angel’s curse. So, she was making up for lost time.

They released each other finally and pulled away breathless. Angel chuckled, holding Buffy until she regained her balance on the crutches. “It’s good to see you, too,” he said, his eyes glowing with happiness.

Even when Buffy was stable again Angel did not remove his hands from around her immediately. Buffy did not protest – why would she? “What are you doing here?” she demanded, grinning from ear to ear. “Not that I mind…”

Angel laughed. “I wanted to see you.”

“That’s it?”

“That’s it,” Angel affirmed.

Buffy grinned. “That’s sweet,” she said. “So, no problems in L.A.?”

“None,” Angel said briefly. “Why don’t we talk about it inside?”

Willow came up next to them and Buffy suddenly remembered her roommate’s presence. “Oh! Uh…” she stuttered, taking a half hop back from Angel.

Willow just laughed at the awkwardness of the moment. “Hi, Angel,” she said.

“Willow,” Angel acknowledged.

“So, um, inside?” Buffy suggested.

Smiling easily, the three of them entered the dorm together. It was suddenly a much better day.

The voices in my head get cranky when I don't get feedback.
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