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. The
title and lyrics are from a song which I don’t own, either.
Spoilers:
Fifth (and final) story of “Every Breath You Take,” following
“Breathing Easy.” So same as
last time – takes place after “Superstar” and “Eternity.”
Everything after that is ignored.
Distribution:
Same as usual: My sites, the BA_fluff archive, any one who has my other stories. Anyone else, just ask.
Content:
B/A, of course. This one may get a little angstier than others in the series.
Summary:
Things for Buffy and Angel are never perfect, even if it’s their honeymoon.
Feedback: Comments? Questions? Criticisms or
snide remarks?
Part One
Watching
every motion in my foolish lover’s game;
On
this endless ocean finally lovers know no shame.
Turning
and returning to some secret place inside;
Watching
in slow motion as you turn around and say,
“Take
my breath away.”
“Take
my breath away.”
Fear. It makes the heart beat faster, the pulse race. It speeds up the breathing, the fight or flight response in full effect. For those that share their flesh with a demonic presence, there are other issues. The demon stirs, making the desire to fight even stronger, even though there is nothing to fight. And then there are the fangs, golden eyes, and feature shifts that are impossible to hide in close quarters.
Had Angel been anything other than what he was, he would have been gripping the armrest with white-knuckled strength. He was afraid he was going to hurt something, though. He had not been more aware that he was not completely human that he was at this moment. Not a good way to start his honeymoon.
“Hey,” Buffy said gently as the plane taxied down the runway. “Are you okay? You’re tense.”
“I’m fine,” Angel managed, but his voice came out tight and strained.
Buffy was not convinced. “Angel?” she asked, her brows raised, clearly not believing his ‘fine’ statement.
“What?” he asked. He could not help but grab the armrests when the plane began to move again.
“Have you ever been on a plane before?”
“No,” Angel said harshly, staring out the window at the runway moving by. The plane was turning now to be in position for takeoff. “Hard to fly and avoid sunlight….”
His explanation was cut off as Buffy reached across his lap, slid the window shade down, and just as the plane picked up speed pulled his head to hers for a forceful kiss. Angel was startled at first, and then he met her kiss eagerly. He wrapped his arms around her - my wife. She’s my wife. - and drew her as close as their respective seats would allow. So involved was he in the kiss that he didn’t even feel the plane leave the ground.
What seemed like both an eternity and the shortest moment later, Buffy pulled away and grinned as she caught her breath. “Better?” she asked with a grin.
“Mmm, yeah.”
She positively glowed. “You’re not scared anymore?”
Angel smiled back. “Well, you might have to do that again. You know, in case of emergency.”
Buffy laughed even as they leaned towards each other again. “In case of emergency, huh?”
“Mm hmm,” Angel mumbled in response the second before their lips met once again. Across from them, he could hear another couple of the passengers whisper.
Let them whisper. She’s my wife!
Buffy awoke slowly, delightfully tired and perfectly happy. She stretched, smiled…and stopped, all before opening her eyes.
She was alone in the bed.
Feeling the familiar clutching of fear in her stomach, Buffy flailed a bit in the bed as she opened her eyes. She calmed almost instantly. In sight, lit only by the early morning sunlight filtered through a crack in the curtains, sat Angel in one of the hotel room chairs. He was wearing a robe, and had a pensive look on his face. He didn’t turn when Buffy stirred.
“I didn’t mean to startle you,” he apologized.
Buffy looked at him as she propped herself up on one elbow. “What are you doing over there?” she asked, letting her concern show through.
“Looking,” Angel said softly.
Buffy frowned at his response. “I thought you lost the cryptic with the need for blood.”
“Yeah, well, I still need blood on occasion, too.”
There wasn’t much Buffy could say to that. “Come back to bed, please? It’s cold without you.”
Finally Angel turned, and he was smiling very slightly. “Anything for you,” he whispered, rising from the chair. Climbing back into bed, he removed the robe and Buffy contentedly snuggled into his bare chest
“So.” she said at last. “What do you mean when you said you were ‘looking?’”
Angel sighed, and Buffy fought not to smile at the movement of his chest. This was a serious moment.
“It’s silly,” he said at last. “Or, well, I was silly to think….”
“To think what?”
Angel was not looking at her as he spoke. “To think that things wouldn’t change. To think that years that touched everywhere else wouldn’t touch here. That it would be like I remembered. Nearly two-hundred and fifty years, and I’m the only thing that hasn’t changed.”
“Yes, you have,” Buffy tried to reassure him.
“Not physically.”
“But you will now!” Buffy pointed out. “You’ll age right along with everything and everyone else.”
Still Angel was frowning. “We don’t know that. Remember? No one knows exactly what the spell entails.”
“So time will tell,” Buffy said easily. “What brought this up now? I thought you were supposed to have these sorts of doubts before the wedding.”
Finally Angel looked at her. “I’m not having doubts,” he said. “I’m just…feeling my age this morning.”
Buffy couldn’t help but chuckle. “God, I hope not!”
Angel at last grinned back. “Not physically. Just…I hardly recognize Galway anymore.”
“Is that why we’ve spent the last two days almost exclusively in the hotel room?” Buffy teased.
Angel laughed. “No, that’s because I can’t get enough of you.” He kissed her, and for a moment Buffy’s concerns for him washed away.
When they broke apart, Buffy was grinning from ear to ear. “Oh, is that all?” she asked a bit breathlessly.
Angel nodded.
She had to force herself to be serious again. “I’m not going to just drop this, you know.”
“I know.”
“But you’re okay now?”
Angel nodded slower this time. “I feel fine. Really.”
“You’re not just humoring me?” Buffy asked. “’Cause I know you weren’t feeling well yesterday, and you didn’t want me to know.”
“I’m fine. It was probably just some food disagreeing with me. I do need to rediscover what my body likes and doesn’t like, after all.”
“You’re sure?”
Angel smiled tolerantly. “Really, I’m okay. You don’t need to worry about me.”
“I can’t help it,” Buffy explained.
“I know the feeling,” Angel said, and kissed her again.
This was getting very close to becoming something more than sweet morning kisses, what with them both naked in the bed. As nice as that idea was, and it was their honeymoon, Buffy had other ideas for the day. “And no more brooding?” she asked when she could breathe again.
This time Angel did laugh. “You just won’t give up, will you?”
“Nope!”
Angel raised his hands in mock surrender. “No more brooding, I promise.”
“Good!” Buffy said, and she sat up in the bed. “Come on. Out of bed with you.”
“But you just got me in the bed!”
Buffy smiled. “If we wanted to spend the entire honeymoon in bed together, we didn’t need to spend the money for plane tickets to Ireland,” she pointed out. “This is my first trip overseas, and you are going to show me around, mister!”
“Yes, ma’am!” Angel agreed, smiling. He jumped out of bed as well. “Where to, my lady?”
For all of his playful attitude, Buffy stopped smiling. “I know I said no more brooding, but I think there’s something we need to do before anything else, and I think you know it too.”
Angel stopped smiling. “I know.”
On to Part
Two
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