Skylar
Simple Things

"Simple Things"

Author: Skylar (Nichiren2am@hotmail.com)
Summary: With Buffy's dad in town for graduation, what will his reaction be
to Angel?
AN: Fifth story in my Remedy series.  For this series, I've just decided to
pick episodes at random to rewrite trying to fix Joss' mistakes.
Spoilers: Everything up through "Graduation", plus the other stories of this
series.
AN: For this series, there's no happiness clause in Angel's curse, so there
was no Angelus, and no Angel being sent to hell.  However, Angel has moved
into the mansion on Crawford street.  Jenny was killed, only by Spike.  And
Xander and Willow never kissed, so everything's still peachy between W/O and
X/C.
AN: "Wishful Thinking" belongs to Duncan Sheik, "Slave" belongs to David
Garza.  I may add a few more though.
Rating: I'd say PG-13.
Distribution: Want it- take it.  Just let me know where it's going.
Feedback: As always, greatly appreciated.




     Buffy was in heaven.  Her body was relaxed, and her mind was free of
stress.  It was a perfect way to start her Tuesday morning.  <Only two more
days of highschool- thank god.>  She sighs and stretches as she begins to
wake from a very lovely sleep.  It takes her a moment to realize her
movements are constricted and she can't quite stretch out as much as she
wants. Confused, she opens her eyes to see a well-muscled arm slung tightly
around her stomach.

"Angel," she mumbles with a smile.  They were lying spoon fashion, Buffy's
back snuggled very nicely into her lover's chest.  He was still sleeping and
was not aware that he had her trapped- not that she minded.  She relaxes and
is very content to lie in his arms until a thought crosses her mind. 
"Angel?"  She tries freeing herself from his grasp but finds her attempts to
escape useless.  She manages to twist her body to face him and starts to
push at his chest.  "Angel?"

"Ow..." he mumbles, still not opening his eyes.  Seeing his initial
reaction, she decides on a different method of waking him up and plants a
gentle kiss across his chest instead.

"Better..."

"I know you're not asleep, faker," she giggles, snuggling closer to him.

"What's wrong?" he asks, still half-asleep.

"What are you?"

     Finally opening his eyes at his girlfriend's unusual question, he
blinks a few times before responding.  "Umm...a very tired guy?" he offers.

"No- I mean, what are we telling my father?"

"About what?"

"About you," she smiles, pulling herself closer to him.  Realizing that he
wouldn't be allowed back to sleep until he answered her, Angel sits up,
rubbing the palm of his hand against his forehead.

"I'm guessing that the truth wouldn't be our best option," he smiles at her.
  Buffy idly begins twirling around the drawstring on his sweatpants as she
can already picture her father's sure to be less-than enthusiastic reaction
to the couple.

"Mom's whole reaction was a miracle, so I wouldn't press our luck trying to
sell dad on the idea."

"Buffy...whatever you decide will be fine with me.  I'll back you up one
hundred percent- just make sure that you tell me what you plan on telling
him ahead of time."  He reaches over to plant a quick kiss on her bare
shoulder before getting out of bed.  He grabs a gray t-shirt from the
closet, pulling it over his head as Buffy begins laying out their options.

"What if we told him you were just some plain, ordinary, local college
student?" she suggests, following his lead and rolling out from under the
covers.

"You think that I'm plain and ordinary?" Angel flashes her one of her own
trademark pouts, causing Buffy to saunter over to him, grabbing him around
the waist and pulling him against her as she begins singing his praises in
between kisses.

"Of course not.  You're smart *kiss* and caring *kiss* and deliciously sexy
*kiss*.  To top it all off, you're polite and courteous- any parent's dream
for their daughter's boyfriend...except my father," her mood sombers as she
turns back around to start getting dressed.

"What's so bad about your father?"

"Where do I begin?" she jokes, pulling her tank top over her head as she
tries to prepare her boyfriend for his upcoming meeting with Hank Summers. 
"Nowadays, he barely makes any time for me, and when he does, all he finds
time for is to criticize me at every opportunity imaginable.  I nearly
jumped out of my skin when mom-" she stops herself just in time, nervously
grinning as she averts her eyes past Angel, peering into the mansion's
kitchen.  "So what's for breakfast?"

"Buffy...what did your mom do?"

"Nothing."

"Buffy-"

"Nothing," she wimpers again, receiving only another glare from Angel. 
"Okay, okay- shekindaalreadytoldhimaboutyou."

"What?  Did- did you say she told your father about me?"  Buffy's confession
and her accompanying nod left Angel perplexed.  "What's so bad about that?"

"Angel- why do you think he's coming into town tomorrow?"

"For your graduation," he answers her, still not believing that Hank Summers
could be as bad as Buffy had led him to believe.

"No...his usual congratulatory mode is sending me a card with money or some
flowers.  He's coming to town to check you out, and I just know he's going
to start with all of his nonsense about me not being old enough for a
serious relationship, and you being too old-"

"Your mother didn't tell him how old I really am, did she?"

"Of course not-"

"Then we should be fine."

"I wonder if you'll still be saying that when dad's giving you the third
degree and threatening to plunge a steak knife through your heart if you
even think about corrupting his daughter."

     Angel walks over to her, placing his arms on her shoulders.  He softly
grabs her chin, gently tipping her head upwards, looking her straight in the
eyes to emphasize his words.  "Everything is going to be fine.  And even if
your father doesn't approve, *nothing* can stop me from being with you.  I
would move heaven and hell if I had to, just to be with you- always."  A
smile finally graces Buffy's face as she reaches up on tiptoe to capture his
lips with her own.

"About that steak knife?" Angel nervously grins out of their embrace, "you
weren't serious...were you?"  They go to share another kiss until Angel
backs away suddenly, a sharp pain radiating throughout his chest.

"Angel, what's wrong?"

"I don't know," he wimpers, his eyes squinting in pain.  "I just got this
pain.  It's fine now..." he sighs, lifting his hand from where his heart no
longer beated, the center from where the pain was eminating.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah.  Yeah, I'm fine.  It was just weird there for a second."

"Maybe I should stay here for the day to keep an eye on you," she suggests,
a hopeful glint in her eyes.

"As tempting as your offer is," he slides his arms around her as he ushers
her back towards the doors, "I'm pretty sure missing skipping school two
days before graduation won't look too good."  He captures her lips in a
sweet kiss, swallowing up the moan of protest she gave.

"Please- if they haven't expelled me by now, it isn't gonna happen.  But if
you need me-"

"Call Giles," he finishes for her, quite familiar with her daily
instrustion.

"Ooo- don't forget, the guys are all coming over tonight."

"Right," he gives her a quick nod.  "Umm...what for, again?"  Her gives her
an apologetic glance once he hears her frustrated sigh.  "I forgot...I think
I was too involved in more pressing matters," he grins against her skin,
gently nuzzling her neck with a few soft kisses.

"Uggh- I swear you have a one track mind."

"So do you..."

"Mom wants us to pick up a few things for dinner tomorrow night, so I
figured we'd been done in half the time if we had everyone helping us shop. 
Sound good?"  Feeling a low moan against her skin, Buffy quickly pulls away.
  "I'll take that as a yes?"  Her smile soon fades as she sees Angel's brow
furrow slightly.  "Angel?"

"Yeah..." he finally gets out, quickly covering up his second onslaught of
pain that morning with a forced grin.  "Sounds good.  I'll see you tonight
then."

"Oh...okay."  Buffy leans up to give him one final kiss before reluctantly
heading for school.  "Love you."

"I love you..." he smiles back, slowly closing the mansion's front doors
after her before lifting the corner of his shirt, quickly shedding the
cotton material.

     His eyes widen at the sight of the small hollow circle glowing a faint
yellow overtop of his heart.  He lifts a hand to his chest, tracing his
fingers across the streak until finally it disappears just as quickly as it
appeared.  "Great..." he sighs to himself, walking back upstairs to bed. 
"Now what's going on?"

******

"Na-na na na, na-na na na. hey hey hey, goodbye!"  As the slayer was walking
down the halls of Sunnydale high later that morning with her friends,
Xander's sheer bliss in their approaching graduation had him crazed with
excitement.  "Na-na na na-"

"Xander!" Cordy snaps at him, pulling her hand away from his as she turns to
face him.  "You keep singing that lame song and *I'm* gonna be the one
saying goodbye to *you*!"

"Oh come on, Cordy," he pleads with her.  "Don't be such a flatliner."

"A what?" Oz speaks up.  Xander lets out an exasperated sigh as he grabs his
girlfriend's hand, continuing to walk towards the friends' lockers.

"Flatlining...as in dead...as in how you're all acting!"  He turns the
combination to his locker for the last time, pulling off the lock to prepare
for end of the year locker clean out.  "We graduate in two days- we've only
got 48 hours until we finally bust out of this joint!"

"Kinda like Alcatraz?" Oz smiles over at him.

"Only difference is I don't think they allow prisoners to keep so much junk
in a locker," Cordy pulls Xander's locker door wide open, its overstuffed
contents spilling out onto the floor.  "How do you accumulate all of this in
just one year?"

     Letting out a small chuckle, Xander walks across the hall to open her
locker, exposing her various health and beauty products.  "The same way you
stock up your locker to look like a commercial for Maybelline!"

"At least I don't have any toys in my locker!"

"How many times do I have to tell you- I keep them here strictly for
educational purposes!"

"Xander-" Buffy cuts into their argument, "since when are a bunch of Ninja
Turtle toys educational?"

"Fine, little miss sassy- let's just see what precious artifacts you've got
in yours!"  He walks back over to where Buffy's locker is, pulling open the
door to reveal all of her stored junk.  "Now who would've guessed?"  He
lifts a hand to point out each of the pictures she had plastered across the
metal frame.  "Angel, Angel, Angel, you and Angel, you and Angel, you and
Angel...are we seeing an unhealthy, obsessive pattern here?"

"In about two minutes you're going to be seeing the inside of this locker
from another, more close-up view if you don't go clean out your own." 
Xander pouts as he moves along down the row back to his own, tossing out
various items into the nearby row of trash cans.

"Book, notebook, gym shorts, apple, cheese sandwich- complete with mold!"

"Xander," Willow sighs, watching the bluemold crusted bread being tossed
alongside her.  "That's a total ick."  Ignoring her comment, he continues
rummaging through, seeing if he could salvage anything.  "Video game- that's
a keeper!  Lab goggles, book, book- wow, I took physics?  Don't remember
that!"

"Well that could have something to do with the fact that you were rarely
awake during the class," Oz reminds him, receiving a huge nod from his
friend.

"Rubber gloves, binder, hairspray..."

"Hairspray??" Willow throws a confused glance to her friend.

"Oh- that's mine!" Cordy races over to him.  "Hands off, hands off- this
stuff is imported!"  As the others pass her awkward stares, she quickly
explains.  "I keep a spare in his locker...just in case.  Hey -it is hard
work maintaining this gorgeous look!"

"How does Queen C manage to do it?" Willow whispers to Buffy as the two were
side by side, cleaning out their own lockers.  "So, have you prepared Angel
for the whole 'boyfriend meets dad' formality?"

"Yeah, and get this- he actually thinks it'll be fun," she mock cheers,
tossing out one of her unused folders.

"Fun?  He actually said that?  Gosh- I would've expected something more
along the lines of maybe kicking and screaming.  Or something of the
hyperventalating and chest pains scenario."  Seeing her best friend tense up
at her last remark, Willow frowns, tucking a piece of hair back behind her
ear.  "Buffy, what's wrong?  Angel- he's okay, right?"

"I guess.  He- he started getting these pains this morning.  He said he was
fine- just sorta freaked me out though."
 
Part 2
 
"Okay...peppers?"

"Check."

"Chicken?"

"Check."

"What about chocolate sauce?"

"Don't need it."

"What do you mean 'don't need it'?"  Xander halts in his tracks behind the
other Scoobies as the friends were making their way down their last aisle in
the grocery store that night.  "This is a meal that requires some chocolatey
goodness!  How can you say you don't need it, Buffster?"

"Last time I checked, us normal people use tomato sauce on pasta.  I really
don't think my father would enjoy your sugary, chocolate drenched version,"
the slayer makes a face, sharing a small giggle with Willow at their
friend's weird taste in foods.

"Hey- one of these days I'm gonna be swapping my gourmet recipes with
Wolfgang Puck!  Then you'll all be sorry!"

"More like *sick* from food poisoning," Cordy snaps back.  "Why do you even
care what Buffy's serving for dinner tomorrow night?  Not like you'll be
eating with them."

"Hey- if Deadboy's cooking- I'm eating with them.  Isn't that right, Angel?"
  He turns his head to see the vampire idly staring at the ice cream, a
puzzled look across his face.  "Angel?"

"Hmm?  Oh...sure Xander.  Whatever you...wait a minute-" he quickly snaps to
attention upon processing this latest news.  "*I'm* cooking?  For your
father??"  Buffy passes him a sheepish look, averting her eyes to the
ceiling as she turns on her sweetest voice.  "Did I forget to mention it?" 
Seeing his initial reluctance, Buffy wraps him up in an embrace, sliding a
hand up his back, pulling him closer to her.  "Angel, come on.  I won't be
that bad- I promise. Please??"

"Yeah Angel- please??" Xander adds, eagerly awaiting some more of the
vampire's great cooking.

"You know I can't say no to you," Angel mumbles into Buffy's hair, trailing
his fingers over her shoulders.  As he hears her let out a contented sigh,
he sees Xander let out his own cheer.  "I do however, have no problem saying
no to *you*," he chuckles at him.

"What?!  Come on-"

"Xander...it's going to be stressful enough meeting Buffy's dad for the
first time," he tries reasoning with him, "the last thing I need is having
you there to provide even more stress."

"Moi?" he presents himself innocently.  "When was the last time I stressed
you out?"

"Aisle three," Oz answers for Angel, his mind drifting back to a few minutes
ago when Xander was comparing Angel's pale complexion to a tub of coolwhip.

"Xand," Buffy pulls away from Angel to face her friend.  "I think it would
just be too much having everyone over.  But how about afterwards, we'll all
meet for some ice cream action, okay?"  The rest of the Scoobs, and a
disappointed Xander, are quick to accept her offer, and the friends soon
finish up their shopping for the night.

"Hey Angel-" Xander calls back to where the vampire was trailing behind the
others as they walked down the street back to Buffy's house, "come on man! 
Some of us would actually like to get back inside before the next glacial
movement."  Seeing him give a slight nod, Xander steps up alongside Buffy
and Willow, a bit puzzled by Angel's recent lack of energy.  "What's up with
Deadboy, Buff?  You been wearin' him out at night or what?"

"Xander..." Willow slaps him across his shoulder, almost causing him to drop
the bags of groceries he was carrying.  Without answering him, Buffy walks
back to where Angel was catching up with the group, casually lacing her hand
in his own free one.  "Hey."

"Sorry," he automatically apologizes, his eyes betraying him as Buffy
clearly picks up on his unusual tiredness.

"What's wrong?" she pleads with him.  "Angel, please...this morning you were
having pains, and tonight you just seem out of it."  She pulls him to halt,
lifting a hand to his chin, making him face her.  "This is scaring me...now
what's wrong?"

"Buffy, really...I'm fine," he tries assuring her, placing a gentle kiss
ontop of her head before pulling her back alongside them as they finally
join the others approaching the Summers' home.  "I guess I'm just more tired
than I thought.  Probably didn't get enough sleep, that's all."

"Well if you would take a break from your leading roles as the town lust
bunnies, maybe you wouldn't- umph!!" Xander finds himself unable to continue
with the bagel Willow had shoved into his mouth constricting his speech.

"Now chew it good, Xander," Willow glares at him, nodding for him and the
others to head into the house.  "I think we're all gonna head home, Buffy,"
she pats the slayer on her shoulder before pulling her into a quick hug. 
"We'll see you tomorrow.  Last day- should be exciting."  The others finish
leaving the bags in Buffy's kitchen, bid their goodbyes, and leave the
couple to unpack their food.

"Well, at least my dad will appreciate your cooking skills.  That should be
a plus," Buffy smiles, placing some of the vegetables in the fridge.

"Trust me," Joyce's voice comes wafting into the kitchen as she comes down
the stairs, "if Hank has been fed, he'll be nice to just about anybody."

"Mother!  God- you make him sound like a dog or something."

"Just a simple observation, honey- take it as you will," the elder Summers
woman playfully nudges her daughter, passing a sidelong glance to Angel. 
"Has she told you she's got the two of us cooking for tomorrow night?"

     Angel grins as he looks down at Buffy.  "You actually conned your mom
into cooking too?  And here I thought I'd be the only one, Joyce.  How did
she convince you?"

"The same way she probably convinced you- with that cute pout of her's," she
gently tips her daughter's chin up, giving her a warm smile.  "What she
doesn't know is that we may be doing the cooking, but we're making *her* do
all of the prep work.  Cutting, washing, setting the table, and doing all of
the dishes."

"Mom!" Buffy throws her a frustrated glare before turning to work on her
boyfriend.  "Are you going to let her get away with that?"  Not wanting to
be caught in the middle of the feisty mother and daughter team, Angel
excuses himself for the night.  "Look at the time.  Didn't realize it's way
past my bedtime-"

"What bedtime?" Buffy raises a suspicious eye to him.  "You sleep all day-
your bedtime's at seven in the morning!"

"Goodnight, Buffy," Angel reaches down, gracing her warm lips with his own
cool ones, finally pulling away after a few seconds.  "Oh- Joyce?  Do you
think you could walk me out?"  Nodding enthusiastically, Joyce leaves Buffy
to finish up in the kitchen as she follows behind Angel to the door.

"Joyce- there's something I wanted to talk to you about-"

"Oh- if it's about tomorrow night, don't worry about a thing, Angel.  I'm
sure Hank will love you.  And even with the two of us stuck cooking, with
Buffy doing most of the work, it won't be-"

"Actually, that's not it."

"Oh.  Well, what is it then?"

"It's about Buffy's graduation."  He immediately notices the huge smile
break out across Joyce's face, answering her with one of his own in the
process.  "Even though, unless some sort of miracle happens before Thursday
night, I won't be able to go, I still want to do something special for her. 
I wanted to run my idea of a graduation present by you first before I go
through with what I'd like to do."

"Okay, what did you have in mind?"

"It's too much to discuss this late.  I was hoping maybe you could stop by
tomorrow morning before you go to the gallery so we could talk things over."
  Joyce makes an intrigued face at him, finally patting him on the shoulder
before opening the door for him.  "Great, I'll stop by at around eight. 
Have a good night, Angel."

"You too, Joyce."  The tired vampire begins his walk back to the mansion,
still reeling from the affects of whatever was going on with his system. 
<Maybe I'm getting sick.  Wouldn't be surprised- that's just my luck.  The
only souled vampire getting the first known case of vampire flu.>
 
Part 3
 
The hot, rushing jets of water were working beautifully to relax
Angel
the next morning. He hadn't slept more than a few timely minutes the
night before, his body weak and weary from the now-constant
onslaughts
of pain he'd been having. Knowing that Buffy would probably be
stopping
over before she left for school, as well as her mother dropping by
to
discuss a few things with him, he'd hoped that a nice shower would
revive him.

As the steaming water beats down on him, the sudden ringing of the
doorbell broke him out of his peaceful trance. Figuring it was
Buffy, he
quickly steps out of the shower, grabs a towel and heads over to the
stairs to call down to her. "It's open, Buffy! I'll be right down!"

After a moment of hesitation, Willow steps through the doors,
carefully
shutting them behind her as she makes her way through the grand
hall.
The first thing she notices is the kitchen counter, a few glasses
and
plates of food resting on top of it. <Must be expecting Buffy...>
she
muses to herself, slowly pacing over to the stairway.

With one towel wrapped around his waist, another overtop of his
head,
somewhat blocking his vision, Angel makes his descent.
Instinctively, he
moves towards the figure, wrapping an arm around her waist, placing
a
soft kiss on her cheek. "Good morning..."

"Uh...yeah...you- you too, Angel," Willow stammers out, flinching
back
just as much as Angel does once he realizes it wasn't his lover he
had
embraced.

"Willow? Oh- sorry. Sorry about that."

"Oh- that's okay. We're a friendly bunch, right? No biggie," she
tries
hiding her blush, shyly pulling a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I was just-"

"Expecting Buffy," she finishes for him, motioning towards the food
that
he'd set out for the slayer.

"As always," he lets out a small grin. "Umm...if you're hungry, help
yourself." He pads into the kitchen, pulling out a chair for
her. "Just
let me run upstairs and throw on some clothes."

"Yeah- clothes are always a plus," she giggles nervously, trying to
keep
herself from staring.

After a few minutes, Angel comes bouncing down the stairs again,
this
time clad in black sweatpants and a white t-shirt. His hair still
damp,
he runs a hand through it before sitting down at the table next to
the
redhead. "So...how's you speech coming along?"

Willow smiles sweetly. Even when all the others, for the most part-
Xander, had their reservations about Angel, she'd always had a soft
spot
for him. Over the last three years, she'd developed a keen
friendship
with her best friend's boyfriend, and was always appreciative of the
great interest he took in her achievements.

"Slow, but steady. I tried asking principle Snyder if this year we
could
just skip the whole 'valedictorian-has-to-give-a-boring-speech'
tradition and start a new tradition."

"Which would be?"

"The 'valedictorian-sits-quietly-and-waits-for-her-name-to-be-
called,
avoiding-all-possible-humiliation' tradition."

"I'm sure you'll do fine, Willow. I'm just sorry that I won't be
there
to see it," he trails off on a somber note.

"Oh- speaking of which...I totally forgot why I'm here."

Finally remembering her whole reason for paying him such an early
morning visit, Willow retrieves a book from her backpack, flipping
through the pages as she looks up at him. "Buffy sorta told me that
you've been having pains lately-"

"Willow, I'm fine, really," he lies, but somehow knows he won't be
able
to carry on his deception for much longer. If last night was any
indication, he was hoping he'd be able to make it through dinner
with
Joyce, Buffy, and her father later that night without collapsing
over
dessert.

"Angel- last night you looked like Xander would've been able to take
you
down with one wimpy blow. So when I went home, I started researching-
"

"You didn't have to do all that," he sighs.

"Well...considering the fact that you've saved my life on more than
one
occasion, plus this crazy concept I call 'you being my friend', it
was
nothing. Anyway, I haven't been able to run this by Giles yet, so
I'm
not really sure how accurate this whole thing is. And I debated
whether
or not to even mention it to you, because I didn't want to get your
hopes up and then have to tell you that I was wrong- which, I- I
tend to
be sometimes, and I-"

"Willow," he softly cuts off her rant. "What did you find?"

"You're becoming human," she blurts out, receiving a wide, shocked
stare
in return from the stunned vampire.

"What?" is all Angel can manage to get out through his dropped jaw,
his
mind still trying to process what he's just been told. Taking a few
steadying breaths, Willow begins her explanation.

"When we first found out about you, ya know- having a soul and all,
don't get mad at me, but...I kinda started doing a lot of research
on
you. I wanted to find out more about your curse, and what you having
a
soul really meant. Anyway, when Buffy mentioned you having all of
these
weird pains, and then after seeing you last night, I remembered
something that..." She pauses, the memory of receiving the news of
Spike
murdering Jenny flashing before her for a moment. "...something Miss
Calender had shown me.

There's a prophecy about the souled vampire finally regaining his
humanity. Something called Shanshu. It talks about the vampire's
redemption being brought about by the strongest lifeforce known to
the
universe." She smiles over at him, trying to lighten the matter a
bit.
"We're talking about the big 'L' word here. Anyway, I think that's
what's happening to you."

"Because of Buffy?"

"Because of the two of you together. Sometimes I don't think you two
realize what there is between you. I mean, if it's enough to bring
forth
what was believed to be a lost prophecy-"

"I'm still not getting this, Willow," Angel slowly stands from his
seat,
beginning to pace across the tiled floor. "How do you figure my
getting
sick means I'm turning human?"

"It's a process, Angel." The redhead flips a few pages, beginning to
summarize the ancient text. "Since your body has been...dead, just a
host to a demon, as your humanity returns, so do all the things that
life brings with it- sickness, disease...all of the things you're
immune
to as a vampire. Unless the...where did it say...?" She runs a
finger
over the print, trying to find her missing details. "Here it is-
unless
the ultimate noble self-sacrifice is made, eventually you're body
will
just...sorta...expire."

"So as of right now, I'm stuck?" his voice borders on sarcasm and
hopelessness as he raises an eyebrow at her. "I'm getting my life
back,
but at the same time losing it? That doesn't make any sense."

"It all has to do with the final act. The only way to salvage and
maintain the humanity that's being restored is to anchor it using
the
'ultimate noble self-sacrifice' " she recites again from the pages
of
the book, seeing Angel's face turn a shade even paler than usual.

"What does it mean by a sacrifice?" He looks towards the redhead,
finding her eyes averting him in trepidation of just what needed to
be
done for the prophecy. "Willow? What's the sacrifice?"

"I was hoping we could just sorta skip over that part," she
sighs. "It's
pretty heavy, Angel...but it would be worth it. And it's not like it
would kill her or anything, and I know she'll do it. She'll make you
do
it if she has to, which she probably will, because I don't think
you're
gonna want to do this-"

"Willow," he snaps her back to the topic at hand, "what sacrifice?
And
who are you talking about?"

"Buffy..." she finally raises her eyes to him, but her attention
seemed
more focused on the sight of the small figure standing behind him.

"Buffy? How does she fit into all of this?"

"Yeah..." comes the slayer's voice from behind him, causing him to
quickly turn around, his strucken gaze now fixed on her. "How does
Buffy
fit into all of this? By the way- just what am I fitting into?"

"Buffy..." Angel half-smiles, pulling her over to him.

"Morning," she gives him a quick, playful kiss, throwing a stare to
her
best friend afterwards. "You too, Will. What are you doing here
anyway?"

"I, uh...I just..."

"She was just having breakfast," Angel covers for her. "She knows
you
stop by in the morning before you go to school. Willow, weren't you
saying something about wanting to have Buffy listen to your speech
before you show it to Snyder this morning?" he tries detailing his
lie
even further, hoping Buffy hadn't heard any of their conversation.

"Yeah," Willow perks up. "That's right- my speech. I figured you'd
be
here, so...here I am. Just...hanging out with Angel. Oh- and some
pancakes," she smiles, lifting one up in front of her as if to offer
further proof.

"So you wouldn't just be trying to steal my boyfriend from right
under
my nose?" Buffy jokes with her, pulling up a seat in between the two
of
them.

"No! No, no...it's just me, Angel, and pancakes- see?" she holds up
her
fluffy circle again, her nervousness clearly showing through. "It
has
nothing to do with romance or- or lusty thoughts. I- I even forgot
about
seeing him in that towel," she slips, still babbling on
helplessly. "Or-
or that he kissed me."

Buffy immediately shoots a stunned look at Angel, who began
chuckling
softly. "I had just gotten out of the shower and I heard someone at
the
door. I had a towel-"

"She mentioned the towel," Buffy cuts in, still lifting an eyebrow
at him.

"I also had one over my head- I thought she was you," he smiles,
capturing her lips in a kiss.

"For a minute there I thought I'd have to get in two slays before
homeroom," she kids, but sees that Willow is still
apprehensive. "Will-
I'm kidding," she reaches over to snag a sip of her orange juice
before
standing back up, slinging her backpack over her shoulder.

"It's almost 7:30," Willow finally gets out a coherent thought,
standing
from the table.

"Yeah- we'd better get going...before you two decide to elope,"
Buffy
laughs aloud, though instantly sees her best friend slump back down
in
her chair in fear. "Oh Will, come on. We've seriously got to work on
your sense of humor." Buffy leads Willow by the arm over to the
front
doors, turning back around to say goodbye to Angel.

"Don't forget- be early tonight. That'll earn you instant 'dad
points' ."

"I'll be around right after sunset. Promise," he leans down to kiss
her
on the forehead, then settles his lips on hers for a lingering kiss.

"Uh...guys," Willow taps Buffy on the shoulder, "school, remember?"

"Right," Buffy agrees, finally separating from him. "See ya tonight."

"Have a good day," he wishes to the both of them, slowly closing the
doors after them, turning back around to walk back through the great
hall. <Human? This is insane...it's impossible. But...Willow's
usually
right on these things, and...god- to be human again, and with Buffy?
>
The idea embodied the only hope he'd clung to over the years, but
never
dared to dream for.

But since watching Buffy called on that fateful day in front of her
school, he'd tried summoning up the image of the two of them being
able
to share a life together. A life out of demons and darkness. And the
image would always come, but always fall short of coming into full
focus
for him. <If this is really what's happening...>

The pain that begins building up in his chest wipes out his
concentration as he reels back against the wall, clutching a hand
over
his unbeating heart in a blind attempt to stop it. His vision blurs,
his
hearing falling just short of silent as the faint knocking at the
door
eventually reaches his senses.

Taking a few uneccessary calming breathes, he steadies himself as he
walks towards the doors, welcoming Joyce into the mansion.

"Joyce, come on in, please." The smiling mother eases her way past
him,
catching a glimpse of his haggard appearance. "Angel? Are you
alright?
You look a little...you're sweating," she points to his forehead,
beads
of perspiration beginning to run streaks down the side of his face.

"Oh- I just got out of the shower," he brushes it off, motioning for
her
to sit down in front of the fireplace with him. "Can I get you
anything?"

"No, no...I'm fine, dear, thank you." She relaxes onto the couch,
nestling her purse off to the side of her. "So...what did you have
in
mind for this graduation present of yours, hmm?"
Part 4
 
"Oh...right," he smiles back at her. "To the point. Joyce...I don't
think I have to tell you just how much I love your daughter." Joyce
beams at him, nodding softly in agreement. "I treasure anytime that
I
get to spend with her, and lately...more and more I dread when the
sun
rises because I can't share that time with her. I realize that she's
still young, but...as I'm sure you'll agree, she's more mature than
anyone else I've ever known. But I still wanted to check with you
first
before I-"

"Ask her to move in with you?" Joyce completes his thought.

"How- how did you know?"

"I've suspected this would be coming for some time now," she answers
him, shifting her position to face him better. "Ever since prom
weekend,
there's just been this...glow about the two of you whenever you're
together. It's as if it's just the two of you...and everything else
doesn't matter so long as you're with each other."

Nervous of her ultimate decision, Angel squints his eyes a bit as he
focuses on her with a deep rooted respect and hope. "So...what do
you
think?"

"You haven't mentioned any of this to Buffy yet?" Joyce asks, her
eyes
wandering around the spacious mansion, already visualizing all of
Buffy's loud and sometimes obnoxious designs cluttering Angel's
tastefully decorated scheme.

She had to admit, she was surprised Angel hadn't made talk about the
idea a lot sooner. She'd regarded the vampire as more than just her
daughter's boyfriend. Within her there was a compassion for Angel,
one
that made her feel as open and honest with him as any other person
in
her life, if not more so. She saw in him a peace and gentleness that
had
been lacking in both her's and her daughter's life that he now
offered
the both of them.

"No. I wanted to approach you with the idea first. I didn't want to
get
Buffy's hopes up and then send them crashing down if-"

"She's going to have a lot of packing to do..."

"-you decided that it's not such a good idea, and-" Angel peers up
at
her in confusion, his look of shock and happiness priceless. "You
mean..."

"You didn't even have to ask me, Angel, but the fact that you did
proves
even more why I'm not against the idea." Seeing the vampire's eyes
still
wide with the news, Joyce goes to sit next to him. "Buffy spends
most
nights here anyway. Next year she'll be going to UC Sunnydale, and
college life combined with slaying...I think this would be good for
her.
Give her something to really look forward to coming home. And
besides...she's always stealing my clothes anyway- might as well let
you
experience the slayer-snatcher," she lets out a small laugh.

"I've already been a victim," he smiles back. "On numerous
occassions...wouldn't trade it for the world though."

"We'll see if you change your story after a few straight weeks," she
quirks back, giving his shoulder a small pat as she gets up from her
seat, Angel following behind her. "Okay- so when can I start renting
her
room out?"

"I wasn't planning on asking her until after the graduation
ceremony. I
was hoping to surprise her. Maybe have some more of her things
waiting
here for her-"

"I've got a great idea," she turns to face him. "They all have off
from
school tomorrow. Her father and I will take her out for the day.
I'll
get Xander, Willow, and the others to clear out her room and help
you
move her stuff in her. The girls will all be getting ready at
Cordelia's
house, so it'll work out great. Buffy won't know a thing."

"That sounds..." Joyce watches in panic as Angel clutches his
stomach,
his pains now beginning to claw through his abdoman, surging
straight
through him.

"Angel? What's wrong??" Joyce immediately wraps an arm around his
back,
fearing he may have been injured in a recent fight with any number
of
demons she was sure he and Buffy had encountered during the week.

"Nothing...I'm okay..." He steadies himself, forcing a smile at her.
"Just a little sore...that's probably all it is."

"If you're sure..."

"Yeah, thanks Joyce. I don't want to hold you up anymore. I'm fine,
really." Giving him one final look for reassurance, Joyce makes her
departure, leaving Angel to slide down against the door once he
closes
it shut. Leaning his head back against it, his fingers dance idly on
the
cold floor, his mind still racing with the two new thoughts that it
had
recently attained- the possibility of Buffy moving in, and the
prospect
of finally regaining the humanity that had been ripped from him so
long ago.

******

Ten hours later, Buffy moves easily about her kitchen, making some
last
minute preparations for her father's arrival.

"Mom!!!"

"What's wrong now, honey?" Joyce adjusts her earring as she walks
into
the kitchen to see just what was the source of her daughter's
frustrations this time. Since arriving home from school, the young
slayer had been unusually high-strung in anticipation of the
evening's
dinner and her father's first introduction to Angel.

"He's still not here?!"

"Who? Your father, or Angel?"

"Both of them! Ughh- I expect dad to be late, but Angel promised me
he'd
be here right after sunset."

"Which was about five minutes ago," Joyce chuckles. "Honey- relax.
I'm
sure Angel will be here any minute. You've got to give him a little
leeway here. After all, he's still nursing some wounds." Buffy's
head
shoots up at her mother's last comment.

"What do you mean nursing some wounds?"

"When I went over to talk to him this morning, he was a little sore,
that's all." Buffy makes a quick mental note of the news, already
planning how she was going to yell at her boyfriend for lying to her
about only having a few meaningless pains. In the middle of her
conversation with herself, the familiar chimes of the doorbell
brings
her back to reality.

Quickly scampering to the door, she gives her hair a final tussle
before
welcoming Angel in. Angel had no sooner opened his mouth to
compliment
her dress when she shoots him an angry glare, her eyes penetrating
into
his own confused gaze. "What's wrong?" he asks. Deciding that they'd
discuss things on a night when she wasn't trying to pass him off to
her
father as her normal, human boyfriend, she lowers her head, trying
to
plaster a smile on her face.

"Nothing," she waves a hand in the air, moving aside to let him step
past her. Angel searches her face for a moment before simply smiling
back at her. "Well hello to you too." He leans over and kisses her
lightly.

Her annoyance evaporates instantly at the sight of his trademark
half-grin. "Hello," she replies as she pulls him back down to her,
drawing him in for a longer embrace.

"Hello..."

Realizing their kiss had lingered a little longer than they'd
anticipated, the third voice approaches them from the porch, the
person
clearing their throat just loud enough for Buffy to slowly pull
herself
out of Angel's arms. Her glance strays through the still-opened
door,
her eyes finally resting on the sight of the well-dressed, and
somewhat
displeased, Hank Summers.

"Ummm...hi dad..."
Part 5
 
Stunned at her father's arrival, Buffy throws Hank a look to see how he
was reacting to finding his daughter smooching with the boyfriend he was
coming to interrogate. He seemed bemused, and quite embarrassed by the
sight in front of him. Shifting his eyes a bit, he reaches behind him
blindly to close the door while Angel moves beside Buffy, unconsciously
straightening out the folds of the dark blue silk shirt he wore beneath
his jacket.

"Hi sweetheart," Hank finally says, pulling his daughter into a tight
hug, his eyes trailing over her shoulder to focus on the obviously
much-older creep who just seconds ago had his hands roaming all over his
little girl.

"Did you just get in?" Buffy pulls away from him with a nervous grin.

"Uh-huh..." he replies, his eyes never leaving Angel as he addresses his
daughter. "Buffy...aren't you going to introduce me?"

"Introduce you? Oh- ohhh..." she reaches around a hand, fishing for
Angel's, relieved when she finally grabs hold of him. "Dad, this- this
is Angel. Angel, this is my father," she smiles, having to yank on
Angel's arm to draw him forward.

"Mr. Summers," he extends his hand, hoping he wouldn't find anything too
unusual by it's lack of heat. "Pleasure to meet you, sir."

Hank shakes his hand firmly, never losing eye contact with him. "So this
is Angel. Well, it's nice to meet you too." Releasing his hand, Hank's
eyes stray into the dining room where Joyce was carrying in some drinks,
gently setting them on the table.

"Hank," she casually strolls over, welcoming him with a friendly hug.
"Good to see you."

"You too, Joyce."

"I see you've met Angel here," she places a calming hand on the
vampire's shoulder, receiving a warm smile from him.

"Mmm...I have the feeling I was interrupting something," he looks down
at his daughter, watching as she turns another shade of red.

"Well...Angel had just gotten here a few seconds before you did, and we
were just...I mean- I was just...greeting him. That's all."

"Why don't we all go into the dining room," Joyce quickly covers for
her, leading Angel in by the arm ahead of her daughter and ex-husband.
"Angel," she whispers over to him, "what did Buffy say to tell Hank you
do? I mean, what do we tell him?"

"I think she sorta left that part out, Joyce," he realizes, wishing they
wouldn't have gotten so distracted the other night to the point where
Buffy never had the opportunity to clue him in as to what background
they would be giving to Mr. Summers.

Hank watched with a pleased eye as Angel pulls out both Buffy's and
Joyce's chairs for them, taking his own seat beside Buffy once the two
Summers women were both seated. "Angel and I won't be starting dinner
for a little while," Joyce informs them, "since a certain 'helper'
hasn't quite mastered the fine art of chopping vegetables yet," she
throws a pointed glance to her daughter.

"Hey- it's not my fault I'm not slicing-and-dicing inclined," she defends.

"So you cook, Angel?" Hank lifts his eyes to him, trying not to focus on
the way his daughter's hand was busy tracing over Angel's own.

"Yes, sir," he replies.

"Must've picked it up from your mother I'm willing to wager."

"Yes, sir."

"Come to think of it, Joyce never mentioned your family's name..." he
trails off.

"O'Halloran," he answers, seeing both Buffy's and Joyce's eyes widen at
his unusual openess about his past. "Angel Liam O'Halloran."

"Are you and your family from around here?" Hank continues his questioning.

"No, sir. We're originally from Ireland. Galway, actually. Quiet little
town."

"Oh. When did your family move to the states?"

"Actually, I'm the only one to come here. After both of my parents
died...I just decided to get away from things. Start over here in
California."

"How nice," Hank responds, so far pleased with most aspects of him. Kind
and courteous, respectful and easygoing.

"Well Angel," Joyce draws his attention, "what do you say we go start on
dinner, hmm?" Following her lead, Angel excuses himself from the table
to help Joyce in the kitchen. Sensing a perfect opportunity, Buffy
inches closer to her father, hoping to get his first reaction to Angel,
but finds herself being cut off before even opening her mouth.

"So how've you been, sweetheart?" Hank wraps an arm around her shoulder.
"How're you doing in school?"

"Great, just great," she smiles up at him.

"Your mother said your grades have really been up there as of late."

"Yep. Tomorrow night I'm even gonna get to wear one of those special
gold thingies-"

"A tassle," he cuts in.

"Right. I actually managed to pull my grades up into the top twenty.
Isn't that great?"

"That's wonderful, honey," he places a kiss on her cheek. "I'm so proud
of you."

"Well...I can't take all the credit. Mom's been really supportive, and
Angel too."

"Really?"

"Mmm-hmm...he's actually been, ummm...tutoring me in some classes. He's
really helped." <Might as well give him the same story I first gave mom.>

"Well...it's good to hear he hasn't been a...distraction from your
studies. I hope this will still be the case once you start classes at UC
Sunnydale in the fall."

"Of course, dad," Buffy sighs, already frustrated by her father's
typical habit of twisting things around from a critical point of view.
The slayer lets out another sigh, this time of relief, as she sees her
mother and Angel return from the kitchen.

"Dinner should be ready in about a half hour. Just remind us to go check
on it, 'helper' " Joyce smiles at her daughter as Angel again pushes in
her seat for her, then takes his place back beside Buffy.

"We're having chicken," Angel looks over to Hank, "if that's okay with
you, sir?"

"I'm sure whatever the two of you are cooking up will be wonderful,
Angel. And enough with the 'sir'," Hank tries extending a more
friendlier welcome. "Just Hank is fine." Seeing Angel nod, he decides to
continue in his attempt to accurately survey him. "So Angel, besides
cooking, what do you do? Are you a student? Working?"

"A student."

"He's an artist."

"He works at the gallery."

Angel, Buffy, and Joyce look to each other as Hank stares at the three
of them, a bit overwhelmed by the three different answers he had just
received from each of them. Seeing that Buffy and Angel were at a loss
as to how to clear things up, Joyce decides to step in. "Well, actually
Angel *is* a student," she starts, validifying what Angel had said, "but
he works part-time at the gallery with me."

"And he *does* paint and draw and stuff," Buffy adds to her own previous
answer. "So I think of him as an artist."

"Oh, then we have a bit of something in common then," Hank sits back in
his chair, adjusting his position. "I'm an architect myself. Designing
and such...I've always been fascinated by it."

As the four sit waiting for dinner, the evening's conversation takes
many different directions. From Hank's recent clients in LA to how well
Joyce's gallery was doing in Sunnydale. Buffy was actually feeling a bit
left out when her parents and Angel became engrossed in a conversation
about some big museum exhibit that would be in LA in two weeks, but as
soon as Angel reached over and nudged her softly, asking her if she'd
like to go see it, her annoyance quickly vanished.

Hank had to admit, he was finding himself liking Angel more and more,
but he still harbored an unable to be overlooked detail about him. "I
hope you don't mind my asking Angel, but...exactly how old are you?
Joyce did tell me that you were a little older than Buffy..." he grins
as he gives him another look over.

"I'm, uh...twenty-four, Hank," Angel answers, hoping Buffy's father
wouldn't react as badly as Buffy had already warned him.

"Twenty-four...you're six years older than Buffy," Hank states,
obviously not pleased with the fact.

"Dad..." Buffy sighs, "please don't make a big deal out of it. I'm
eighteen years old-"

"How old were you when you two first started going out?"

"Sixteen, but what does that have to do with anything?"

"I see. And just how...serious has your relationship been. I mean-"

"Hank," Joyce interjects, already seeing where he was going with this.
"The two of them have had a very understanding relationship for the past
three years and I really think that's all that needs to be said here."

"Joyce," he turns to face her, "I'm just looking out for our daughter's
best interest. I would expect you to do the same-"

"And she does," Buffy defends her mother, her frustrations turning to
annoyance as she stands up to her father. "She's been so supportive of
everything in my life, and if after all this time you can't see that,
then...oh no. Time...has anyone checked on dinner?" Immediately Joyce's
and Angel's heads shoot up as they stand from the table, racing into the
kitchen, only to find their dinner blackening even more in the oven.

"I guess chicken's off the menu for tonight," Buffy quips as she sticks
her head in through the doorway, offering them her best 'I'm sorry' look
in hopes of being forgiven for not keeping up her end of their cooking
arrangements.

"Looks like," Hank joins them all, eyeing the burnt bird with a wry
smile. "Tell you what, why don't we all just go out to eat? My treat."
Buffy accepts her father's offer for her mother and Angel, grabbing hold
of her lover's hand as they all walk out to Hank's car.

Within ten minutes they arrive at Callaway's Restaurant, soon after
being seated at a lovely table, ready to order. But as Buffy takes a
quick glance around, she instantly recognizes four familiar faces.

"Uh...you guys know what? I'm really not in the mood for Italian
anymore," she nervously tugs at Angel's arm, urging him to back her up.

"Sweetie, you love Italian," Joyce eyes her warily. "Besides, where else
are we going to go?"

"Maybe the school cafeteria's still open," she offers, becoming even
more anxious as she sees the four people she had spotted getting up from
their table and making their way over to them.

"Buffy, what's wrong?" Angel turns to her, his brow furrowing at her
behavior.

"Buffster!! Deadboy!! What's up?!"

Without even having to turn around, Angel brings a hand up to his head,
slumping his elbows onto the table in a mix between anger and panic. "Oh
god no..."
 
Part 6
 
Mentally kicking herself for letting Joyce's and Angel's beautiful
dinner go up in flames, forcing them to spend the evening out, Buffy
tosses her boyfriend an apologetic stare as Xander, Cordelia, Willow,
and Oz surround their table.

"Deadboy?" Hank raises an eye to Xander's greeting for Angel.

"Uhh...just a little nickname between friends," Buffy nervously smiles
at her father. "It's sort of a running joke between these two," she
chuckles, slapping Xander across the chest none too lightly.

"Ugh! What was that for?!" the young teen whines.

"Well...would you all care to join us?" Hank offers his daughter's
friends, but immediately notices Buffy shake her head emphatically.

"I don't think that would be such a good idea, dad."

"What? Buffy, don't be ridiculous. It's about time I got acquainted with
all of your friends here. Why don't you all pull up a chair," he smiles
up at the rest of the Scoobs.

Knowing full well just how quickly Xander would ruin whatever chances
Buffy had of getting Angel past Mr. Summers, Willow takes it upon
herself to decline for the group. "That's really nice of you Mr.
Summers, but we really can't-"

"Say no," Xander interjects, pulling a chair over to sit beside Angel.
"We really can't say no to such a gracious offer." At a loss as to what
else to do, Cordelia takes the seat that Xander had pulled over for her,
Willow and Oz following suit.

"There you go," Hank perks up. "Now was that so hard, honey?" he looks
over to his daughter.

"Not yet..." she mutters under her breath, looking towards her best
friend for support. "I have a feeling I'm going to regret this night,"
Buffy wimpers.

"Come on, Buffy," Willow tries consoling her. "Be positive."

"Okay- I'm *positive* I'm going to regret this night."

"Well, now that everyone's here..." Hank calls back her attention,
"Buffy, why don't you introduce us?" Releasing the heavy sigh that had
been building inside since seeing her friends already gathered at the
restaurant, Buffy makes her way around the table presenting everyone.

"Dad- this is Willow, Oz, Cordelia, and Xander. Guys- this is my dad.
And you all know mom and Angel," she manages a smile, trying to salvage
hope for some normalcy in the evening.

"Well of course we know Angel," Xander grins widely, wrapping an arm
around the vampire's shoulders. "Everybody loves Angel, don't we guys?"
Cordy can't help but roll her eyes at her boyfriend's blatancy, mouthing
an apology to Buffy in the process. Willow and Oz simply look to Angel
nervously, hoping Xander wouldn't blow things completely.

"Well it's nice to meet all of you. I didn't realize you were all so
close, Angel," Hank smiles, looking across to where Angel was beginning
to fidget between Xander and Buffy.

"Well..."

"Oh yeah," Xander answers for him. "Are you kidding? I spend more time
with this guy than I do with my own family."

"You're going to be spending time in the intensive care unit if you
don't stop," Angel whispers to him, all the while passing his trademark
half-smile to Hank.

Ignoring the threat, Xander decides to take full advantage of the
situation, giving Angel's shoulder an extra squeeze as he turns to
address Buffy's father once more. "Did you know he likes blood? I mean-
he's *like* blood?" Xander lets out a laugh at his intentional slip.
"Just can't say enough good things about this guy. Even if I lived to be
*245 years old*, I still wouldn't be able to- uggh!!"

"Oh! Xander, was that your leg?" Cordelia feigns an apology. "Sorry
about that," she smiles sweetly, reaching over to grab his hand, giving
it a not-so-gentle squeeze. "Instead of focusing on Angel," she whispers
firmly, "why don't you pay more attention to me, hmm?"

"Right..." he winces, reaching down his other hand to rub his ailing leg.

After a few minutes of getting to know his daughter's friends, Hank
calls over their waiter to order.

"I'll have the linguini with extra *garlic*," Xander proudly gives the
young girl his order, turning to nudge Angel afterwards. "Gotta keep
those vampires away, right buddy?"

"Aren't you a little old to believe in vampires?" Hank laughs at his
remark, at the same time wondering why Joyce and Buffy were both holding
a hand to their heads, muttering something incoherent between them.

"You'd be surprised at the things that go bump in the night, Mr.
Summers," Xander flashes him a smile. "Am I right guys?"

"I've never run into anything..." Oz says, the four words being the only
other ones besides 'hi' that he'd spoken all evening.

"Me neither," Willow adds. "Things are pretty peaceful around here."

"More like *dead*," Xander emphasizes, smiling at Angel's instant squirm.

"About the only thing that's interesting around here is the mall,"
Cordelia tries in her own way of steering the conversation towards a
lighter note.

"Ooo- and your gallery," Willow looks over to Joyce, receiving a proud
smile from her, a round of stares from the others. "What? I like art and
history- sue me."

"Oh- well then that's something you and Angel have in common," Hank
notes, nodding towards the vampire with a grin.

"What- *history*??" Xander pipes up again. "Oh yeah- I don't think
there's anyone who knows more about *history* than Angel- umph!!" Xander
nearly keels back in his chair as Cordelia shoves a roll into his mouth.

"Now chew it slowly, honey..." she warns him, giving his cheek a small pat.

"Umm..." Hank pauses, a little confused by Cordelia's action, "actually,
I was talking about Joyce's gallery. That's where Angel works, right?"

"The gallery?" Willow's brow furrows slightly until she spots Buffy
desperately nodding her head, trying to grab her attention. "Oh...ohhh-
right. The gallery. Yep- that's where Angel works. At the- the gallery.
Good ol' gallery-working Angel."

"Buffy, is that how the two of you met?" Hank asks, startling the slayer
slightly as he places a hand on her shoulder.

"Actually, they met in an alleyway when Buffy knocked him on his a-"

"Have another roll, Xand," Cordy smiles, shoving another one into his
mouth to silence him.

"Uh...yeah," Buffy finally answers her father. "Yeah- mom introduced us
when she uh, heard that I needed some tutoring in history, and we
just...hit it off right away."

"Speaking of right away," Hank says, standing from the table, "I'd
better head over to the bathroom before our food gets here. Be right back."

"Take your time," Xander finally gets out, extracting the half-eaten
roll that his girlfriend had lodged in his mouth.

Once her father had disappeared around the far-off corner, Buffy seizes
the opportunity to have a few words with her friend. Leaning over the
table slightly, she reaches out an arm, grabbing Xander roughly by his
shirt. She pulls him to her, just inches away from her face as she
whispers her threat through gritted teeth. "If you don't knock off your
little one-man show, effective *immediately*, *I'm* gonna take *my* time
tossing you all around town, in and out of every vampire nest I can
find- okay??"

"Gotcha..." Xander gulps, thankful to see Mr. Summers returning to the
table from the other side of the restaurant, forcing Buffy to shove him
back against his seat.

"Everything okay?" Hank raises an eye as he sits back down, noticing the
table's rising tension.

"We're fine dad," Buffy pats his shoulder affectionately. "Xander just
had something on his shirt. I wanted to help him get it off, that's all.
Isn't that right, Xand?"

"Uh-huh..." Xander finally squeaks out, his eyes still wide at the
slayer's anything-but-idle threat.
 
Part 8
 
The following morning, Buffy sits at the kitchen table, her eyes weary
from a long evening's effort. <No- more like torture,> she thinks to
herself. After having to watch Angel suffer, as well as not being able
to stay by his side throughout the night, the slayer wasn't quite
feeling up to spending her morning showing her father around town. <Not
like he's going to stick around long enough after graduation to enjoy
it.> Across the table, her mother assesses her sullen look. She stares
her straight in the eye, and smiles.

"Are you tired, honey?" Joyce inquires, her face careworn and concerned.

"A little. I didn't really sleep much last night."

"Worrying about Angel?" The look that Buffy shoots her confirms Joyce's
initial thought that the question didn't even have to be asked. "You
said Mr. Giles said he was just getting sick-"

"Vampires don't get sick, mom...that's one of the few perks of the gig.
I just wish Giles knew more so we could at least give Angel something to
help the pain. I mean- it's gotta be more than just a cold or a virus.
Never mind the fact that he's a vampire...I've never known a cold to do
this to a person." Before Joyce could respond, the ringing of the
doorbell came echoing throughout the house.

"That must be your father," she assumes, hurrying from her stool to
answer the door. "Hank, you're right on ti-...Xander? Oz?" She steps out
onto the front porch, reaching a hand behind her to close the door.
"What are you doing here so early? I thought I told you to come by at
eight?"

"Willow and Cordelia are already at the mansion with Angel," Oz answers,
"so we figured we'd get an early start moving Buffy's things."

"That's a lovely thought...one small problem though." Joyce checks over
her shoulder through the window to see if her daughter was approaching.
"Buffy's still here! Hank isn't here yet."

"So now what?" Xander asks as he crosses his arms against his chest.

"Hank should be here any minute. Why don't you two...wait-" Joyce sees
Hank's Explorer pulling up into their driveway. "Wonderful. Okay- I'm
gonna go back in and grab Buffy. You two head around back. I keep a key
under the doormat. Go- go!!" she gives them both a shove, smiling to
herself as she sees them hop over the rail of the porch, running into
the back yard.

"Morning Joyce," Hank greets her as he walks up the stairs. "Wasn't that
Xander and Oz?"

"Hmm? Oh- yes. It was. They, uh...go out jogging in the morning. Always
pass along through here."

"Seems like everyone around here likes to keep in shape," he smiles.
"How's Angel doing?"

"Good. Buffy said he's going in to see the doctor tonight," she tries
detailing her lie as much as possible, not really knowing how her
ex-husband would react knowing that their daughter's demon boyfriend was
the first of his kind to catch a cold. "Buffy's inside. Lemme just go
grab her and we can go."

Joyce hurries back into the house, calling out to Buffy as she makes her
way into the kitchen. "Honey- your father's here. We can...ahhh!!"

"Get it off me!!! Get it off meeee!!"

"Mom?" Buffy stands from her seat at the table, startled by her mother's
yell, as well as the noises she was hearing from outside. "What's wrong?"

"Demon dog!!! Owww!!! Demon dog!!!"

"Mom- what's that noise?"

Joyce's eyes remain wide as she takes in the sight behind Buffy through
the large, glass patio doors. With his mouth dropped open in panic, his
eyes wide with fear, Xander was trying to make a mad dash over their
fence, but was finding it quite difficult as the neighbors' rottweiler
held a tight grip on his leg. Oz, who had already suceeded in outrunning
the neighborhood nuisance, was in their yard, extending an arm to his
friend in an attempt to help pull him over the fence.
"Nothing...nothing- just that damn Patterson's dog again. Trying to,
uh...get over the fence. That's all."

"Really?" Buffy makes an attempt to turn around to catch a glimpse until
she feels her mother's arms wrap around her shoulders, turning her back
around the other way. "Come on, honey. Your father's waiting outside."
Joyce leads Buffy down the hall, walking with her as far as the front
doors. "You go ahead out to the car with your father. I'll be right out,
okay?"

"Sure..." the small blonde murmurs, a bit thrown off by her mother's
strange behavior as she walks out of the house.

Racing back into the kitchen, Joyce breathes a sigh of relief as her
eyes pick up on Xander, having finally escaped Butch's jaws, laying out
in the middle of the yard.

"Oh my god!" she yells, sliding open the door to check on him. "Xander-
are you okay?!"

"Fine...just fine..." he squeaks out, taking Oz's arm to help pull
himself up. "Scared out of my wits and in a lot of pain...but fine..."

"There's a first aid kit in the hallway closet if you need it. You boys
make yourselves at home. We're dropping Buffy off at Cordelia's at one,
so I should be back here a little after that." Passing them one final
look, not being able to resist a laugh at Xander's current pantless
appearance, Joyce goes back in to join Hank and Buffy, leaving the patio
door open for them.

"You know...this is the second pair of pants I've have ruined because of
Deadboy!" Xander whines as he and Oz slowly make their way into the
Summers home.

"And let me assure you, both times were well deserved," Oz replies in
typical Oz fashion.

"For those of us who are me, would you kindly inform me as to how I
deserved to be chewed up like a raw porkchop by that wolf in dog's
clothing?!"

"Well, I'd say after your little performance last night, you're just
lucky it wasn't Angel who tried chewing you apart limb by limb. The dog
went easy on you." Xander can only mumble his own grievances as he
follows Oz up the stairway to Buffy's room. "Come on- let's start
tearing apart Buffy's room before any more animals try tearing *you*
apart. I saw some pretty mean looking squirrels out back that were
eyeing you."
 
Part 9
 
"Okay...would somebody please tell me how she can possibly own this many
stuffed animals?"

Cordelia sets down another box of Buffy's things on the floor of the
mansion's great hall. Tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear, she
throws a glance to Willow. "Does she really think Angel's gonna let her
keep all of these here?"

"Of course," Willow quickly answers her, pulling a few of Buffy's things
out of the box she had been carrying. "Besides- I happen to know that
Angel is very good friends with Mr. Gordo," she lets out a small giggle,
waving the pink pig in front of Queen C.

"Whatever," the brunette brushes her off, making her way over to where
her boyfriend and Oz were carrying in a few more packages. "Is this all
of Buffy's stu- Xander!! Where are your pants?!" she gasps, noticing the
hem of his gray t-shirt falling just above his exposed boxers.

"Don't ask..." he moves over to give her a quick kiss, rolling his eyes
as he sets down his box. "How's Angel doing?"

"He was sleeping when we first got here- which is always good." The
red-head pulls herself to her feet, gingerly walking into the kitchen.
She still felt a little awkward 'making herself at home' inside the
vampire's immaculate home, but she was slowly growing more accustomed to
it. <I'd better get used to it if Buffy's going to be living here from
now on.>

Grabbing a glass of water and a bottle of some special painkillers Giles
had brought over a little earlier, she walks over to the stairway.
Raising his head from where they were unpacking their friend's things,
Xander calls over to her. "Where're you going?"

"To check on Angel. See if he feels up to coming down and helping."

"That's a good idea," Oz adds. "Maybe it'll help him get his mind off of
things...namely the pain."

"Yeah...great..." Xander sighs. "He'll get his mind off of the pain and
get it right back on Buffy." Cordelia's quick to side with her
boyfriend's train of thought.

"Oh god- and you can sooo tell when either one of them is having lusty
thoughts about the other one! If that's what I have to look forward to
six hours before I graduate, then I'm outta here." Ignoring them, Willow
just shakes her head as she makes her way up the stairs.

She stares at Angel's door blankly for a minute. Lifting a wary hand,
she gently taps on the wooden frame. "Angel?" she calls softly, waiting
for permission to enter, but no answer came. Looking down the long
corridor, she can see the curtains drawn over the windows scaling the
hallway windows. The lights still hadn't been turned on yet upstairs.
She starts to walk away slowly, but stops once she hears the creaking of
the opening door.

"Angel?" she calls again, turning back around to see him finally appear
in the doorway. He had edged his head around the frame, his eyes still
half-closed.

"Willow...hey..." He steps out of the doorway fully, slowly padding over
to her. "Is everyone here? Xander...Oz?"

"Mmm-hmm...they've already got all of Buffy's things cleared out of her
room. We're unpacking all of it now. You feel up to coming down?"

"Yeah...yeah, just let me," he makes a wave of his hand, indicating his
desire to get fully dressed first. "Come on in..." he moves aside as an
invitation for her to enter his room.

Though she'd been in his room before, Willow had never taken the
opportunity to fully examine it. The first aspect that caught her eye
was that it was neat- too neat for her to even believe. <Wait until
Buffy's been here a few weeks...> Various paintings were strewn along
the paneled walls, their designs giving the room an added somber tone.
The only picture that stood out in clear brightness was the one that
rested on the large bureau across from the bed. Taken only a week or two
earlier, the photo held more meaning than any other decorating the room,
as it displayed the vampire in a warm embrace with...

"...Buffy?"

"Hmm?" Too caught up in her perusal of the room, Willow hears only the
last word of Angel's question.

"I said, have you talked to Buffy?" Angel asks again, reemerging from
the master bathroom, sliding on his white t-shirt.

"Oh...no. Not since last night."

"What exactly happened last night, Willow? I don't...I can't remember
much. I know I didn't feel too well during dinner, and I remember Buffy
taking me out to the parking lot, but that's it. Wait..." a thought
occurs to him at the last minute, "Buffy's dad..."

"Oh- he was fine. Buffy told him that you were just catching some cold
that was going around campus. I don't think he suspects anything. I
think he really likes you."

"No thanks to Xander..." he manages a grin, opening the bedroom door for
her as they begin their walk downstairs.

"Oh, don't worry about Xander. Oz said he got what was coming to him
this morning."

There was a moment of heavy silence downstairs as Angel and Willow
appeared. The Scoobs look to each other with what seems to be great
solemnity. At last, Xander breaks the silence. "Deadboy...how're you
feeling?"

"Better...thanks." He passes a nod to Cordelia and Oz, moving over to
where they had placed Buffy's boxes. "Are these all of Buffy's things? I
would've thought she'd have more to move in."

"Don't question it...just be grateful..." Xander smiles, his eyes
subconsciously lingering on Angel's appearance. He looked tired...and
not the 'pleasantly numb' tired Xander was accustomed to seeing both him
and the slayer as being. "You sure you're feeling good enough to be
moving around? I mean, we can pretty much bring all of her stuff
upstairs for you. She can arrange it all later, and-"

"I'm good, Xander. Thanks..." he lets out a deep sigh.

"Oh..." Oz's mouth hangs open a bit before the others turn to face him.
"Will, Giles called. Said he found something."

"About what?" she takes a step towards him, anxious to hear the news.

"Wouldn't say. Just said he found something and to call him as soon as
possible." Not wasting a minute, Willow heads over to Angel's cordless,
picking up the phone and heading into the library with it so as not to
be disturbed. Quietly shutting the door behind her, she begins dialing
the number, startled when Giles picks up on the first ring.

"Hello?"

"Giles, it's me."

"Oh- thank heavens you called. I've spent the entire morning going over
all of our research for this prophecy."

"And?"

Back down the hall, Angel was busy amazing Cordelia with his vast
knowledge of Buffy's countless stuffed animals. "Okay- what does she
call this thing?"

"It's not a thing," he softly chides her, "it's a koala bear. And his
name is Kasey."

"You've spent way too much time with Buffy's 'little friends' " Cordy
laughs, pulling herself to her feet. "But then what do I expect- you two
spend most of your time in bed anyway," she adds, flipping her hair over
her shoulder as she walks towards the kitchen to grab a drink.
"Ooo...speaking of time, I should call Buffy's mom and see what time
she's dropping her off at my place," she mutters to herself, lifting the
kitchen phone from it's receiver to dial Joyce's cell. But as she lifts
the phone to her ear, she realizes Willow was still on the phone with
Giles. Instinctively going to place the receiver back onto it's hook,
she finds it impossible to do as she picks up on the end of her friends'
conversation.

"Giles, it can't be. Not this soon...not tonight. You've got to be
reading it wrong."

"I wish I were, Willow. But it's clear as day. It has to happen tonight-
we don't have any more time."

Cordelia can't help but pull a hand over her mouth as Giles' last words
come echoing over the line.

"If Angel doesn't drink from Buffy tonight, he'll be dead by tomorrow
morning."
Part 10
 
With an hour left before graduation, Buffy finds herself surprisingly
nervous as she stands in Cordelia's bedroom. After spending the morning
in a daze, too worried about Angel to show much interest in traveling
around town with her father, she finds herself finally perking up
getting to spend her last few moments as a highschooler with Cordelia
and Willow.

Cordelia primps Buffy's robe, trying to smooth as many of the wrinkles
out as she can. She steps back, arms folded, assessing her work, while
trying to keep up appearances around the slayer. Willow had told them
all about the supposed prophecy that could turn Angel human, but the
brunette suspected that she was the only other one to know, besides
Willow and Giles, what would need to be done tonight for it to happen.
"Not bad," she forces out a smile. "Not exactly dry clean perfection,
but passable."

Buffy walks across Cordy's bedroom, looking into the mirror with a
mixture of anxiety and satisfaction. "It'll do fine. Thanks." Idly
smoothing out a few folds of her own burgandy gown, Willow timidly
raises her head, looking towards her best friend. "H- how's Angel?"

Buffy bites her lower lip, forcing a smile. "I don't know...I tried
calling him but he didn't pick up..."

"Oh Buffy, I'm sure he's okay," Willow tries assuring her. "Isn't that
right, Cordelia?" She turns to Cordy for support, finding a new and
almost disturbing look on her face. "Cordy...?"

"Mmm-hmm..." The brunette passes her a suspicious smile as she busy
herself fitting Buffy's head with the cap, working with her hair until
it fits.

"Are you guys sure?" the slayer sighs, feeling the depression starting
to kick in again. "I mean, I'd just feel so much better if I could see
him, or at least talk to him before having to sit through some long and
boring graduation worrying about him."

"Oh Buffy, I'm sure he was just resting," Willow tries again, anxious to
change the subject for both Buffy's and her own conscious' sake. "And
who says graduation is going to be boring? I intend to be entertaining
during my speech, so I'd better not see any of you sleeping while I'm up
on stage."

"You? Entertaining??" Cordy blurts out in typical fashion. Receiving a
stunned glare from the brunette, as well as a sympathetic look from
Buffy, Willow can only pout as she grabs her own cap.

"Well...just promise me you won't snore..."

******

Listen to the waves
Everything communicates
Will it ever be
Anything more
Than wishful thinking?


Joyce snaps yet another picture of the three girls, leaving them all
nearly staggering from the repeated flashes. Buffy rubs her eyes as her
mother pops out the film and inserts another roll. A repeated honking
gets their attention as Hank pulls his Explorer into Cordelia's
driveway, motioning to his wrist to indicate the time. They all quickly
pile in, with the girls maneuvering so as to not rip their gowns.

"It's too bad your parents had to go out of town for the week,
Cordelia," Joyce turns back in the passenger's seat to face her.

"I doubt they even would've came if they *were* in town," the brunette
mutters under her breath. Though she hated to admit it, she envied the
relationship that Buffy had with Joyce. And even though she hadn't known
Hank for too long, she could see even he had more of a relationship with
Buffy than she did with her own parents.

Staring blankly out the car window, Buffy can feel an anxiety building
in her stomach as the moment draws nearer. In just a little over an
hour, she thinks, her heart pounding at a frenzied pace, it'll be over.
It'll be all over. Childhood will come to a screeching halt, replaced by
both promise and uncertainty.


Oh no, there you go
Looked away and missed the show
How much wasted time
Will you survive?


Willow, Cordy, and Buffy were walking across the high school parking lot
towards the football field when Oz and Xander called out to them.
"Lookin good girls," Xander pulls Cordy into his arms, giving her a
tight, reassuring hug. As he pulls away, he can feel Willow's hands
reaching up to his head. She quickly adjusts Xander's cap, brushing the
tassel out of his face. "Well, you look dapper enough for the occasion.
I'd even go so far as to say you look, dare I say, handsome."

He lifts the cap slightly, and is nearly blinded as Joyce's bright light
flashes before him. "Hey! Easy with the bright lights there- I don't
want to end up walking into anything as I'm fighting to rip the diploma
out of Snyder's reluctant grasp."

"You and me both, Xand," Buffy smiles, giving her own hat a quick
adjustment. "I'll be surprised if Snyder manages to hand me a diploma he
hasn't laced with poison."

"Buffy...?" Hank lifts his head curiously at his daughter's last remark,
"you're still having disciplinary problems in school? After everything
that happened in LA?"


Feel the blades of grass
How it brings you back
It will always be
Only as green
As you can see


Buffy, along with her mother, can only sigh, each letting out their own
small, irritated laugh. "No dad..." Buffy smirks at him, looping an arm
with Willow as the friends move past him, "...no problems at all...at
least none you'd ever show an interest in..." Leaving Hank to deal with
her mother's own fury at his behavior, the slayer can't help but think
back over her life, and where in those brief eighteen years could she
find a memory of her father not disapproving of almost everything she'd
done.


Oh no, there you go
Looked away and missed the show
How much wasted time
Will you survive?
Oh yeah, fooled again
Don't know how
And I don't know when
Not much else to blame
But wishful thinking


"You're mulling..." Willow's cheerful voice brings her back to reality.
"No mulling on graduation day."

"Yeah Buffster," Xander moves to her side, slinging an arm over her
shoulders. "Don't wanna have a gloomy face for the rest of your mother's
ten roles of film."

"All right everyone," they can hear Giles' voice call out over the
already assembled class, "time to fall in. You have an entire community
awaiting your company."

As they reach their destination, Xander responds to the librarian with a
mock salute. "Yes sir, Mr. G-man!"

"Xander-" Giles lets out a sigh, "fix your hat. And will you please stop
calling me that! You'll be out of highschool in a matter of minutes-
grow up!"

As they file away, Xander's cap was caught by the breeze, and goes
sailing down the pavement as they all give chase, screaming and laughing
like children at play...the sound of innocence.


Little breakdowns
In coastal towns
They come suddenly
Crashing over you
They come...
...easily

I'm falling through the sky
Through frozen places


They assemble as a mass at the back of the school, strolling down the
bright pavement and taking their seats in groups of two, Pomp and
Circumstance blaring on the P.A. system. Buffy sits in the third row,
plopping down in the chair as she looks around, watching the crowd as
countless flashes, whistles, cheers, and screams of encouragement
emanate from everyone's families. The enormity of it all was
overwhelming. In just a few short minutes, she would graduate. She would
receive her diploma, and then look to the future. No more
procrastination, no more delays. It was here. It was now. It was the
end...and the beginning.

And yet, when her thoughts should've turned to the options that lay
ahead of her, planning out whatever future career a slayer could have,
her mind quickly drifts to the only certainty she'd ever known in life-
Angel. She had gone to sleep with him on her mind. And, like always,
when she was most troubled, she fell into dreams. But last night, after
so many before spent with wonderful images of herself and the souled
vampire, she found only herself. Alone on a winding, dirt path with
wide, flat pastures that grew wildflowers of crimson and pink on the
left, and on the right, yellow and white blossoms swayed gently in the
soft, warm breeze.

She had looked out across the field, both relieved and surprised to have
finally spotted Angel, laughing and happy as he approached her. Finally
closing the distance between them, he smiled up at her, and was about to
speak when Buffy finally took notice of the red stain that was quickly
growing on her shirt. She could almost feel it in her sleep as she cast
her eyes down, watching the small trickle of blood sliding down her
neck, seeping through the white fabric. But before she could even lift
her eyes to Angel, she had woken up, bolting straight up in bed, a cold
shiver staying with her for the rest of the night.


Oh no, there you go
Looked away and missed the show
How much wasted time
Will you survive?
Oh yeah, fooled again
Don't know how
And I don't know when
Not much else to blame
But wishful thinking


"Students, parents, staff, gathered family, guests, and alumni, I wish
to welcome you to the commencement of the 1999 graduating class of
Sunnydale High School!" Principal Snyder recites over the P.A. as
everyone's attention shifts to the stage. "Before we begin, please rise
and join us in the singing of our school song, which is on the back of
your programs."

In all honesty, none of them knew a single line of the song, nor did
they care. This was their moment, and they wanted to relish every second
of it before they walked up to the stage and walked into a new life.
Following a motley mix of bizarre medleys, they sit down again, laughing
wildly. Even Buffy seems to have regained her spirits, joking about how
bad Xander's cap fit.

"If I may have your attention please," they hear Snyder's voice cut
their antics short as they settle back into their seats, all of them
snickering and biting their tongues so as not to laugh. "I turn the
stage over to class valedictorian Willow Rosenburg who will give a brief
speech and then we will proceed with the distribution of diplomas." As
the applause quickly builds to a roar, thanks to the extra efforts of
the Scoobs, Willow approaches Snyder at the podium, a few index cards
beginning to shake in her already trembling hands. "Make it quick,
Rosenburg," Snyder warns, handing the stage over to her as he takes a seat.


And I try to
Realize that I needn't look any further
The whole of the universe
Is plain to see


"Friends, family, distinguished guests, and my fellow classmates," she
begins, praying to any higher power that would keep her from bumbling
through her words. "I spent many nights awake thinking about what I
could say tonight that you would remember. Act- actually...I'm not sure
if many of you will even remember my name after all of this is
over...but one thing that I am sure of is what matters most to me in my
life...my friends."

The four teens, along with Giles, perk their heads up, focusing even
more intently on Willow's words. "Friends will give you support, they
help when needed, and they keep you from being lonely. Also, having
friends gives you the chance to experience what your friend is doing for
you. Sometimes giving is more enjoyable than getting. I couldn't imagine
the last four years without my friends. That's why I'd like to thank all
of them right now, and I would like to say that I could not have made it
through without you all.

So, tonight, aside from the importance of friendship, my message is
simple: make it a goal to discover what really matters in life. The
things we usually fill most of our time with are often times not the
things that matter the most. Let us decide today that we will take the
time to do something valuable, or better yet...to be someone who makes a
difference. Thank you."

As the students and crowd enthusiastically respond to Willow's speech,
Snyder didn't exactly share their sentiments. Pulling her aside before
allowing her to return to her seat, he leans over to whisper to her.
"Very touching, Rosenburg..." he smirks. "A real heartwarmer. I hope you
weren't referring to Buffy Summers and the rest of those future burdens
to society in your little spectacle up there."

Suddenly no longer in fear of what possible repercussions could come of
her actions, Willow pulls her arm out of his grasp before smiling back
at him. "As a matter of fact, I was. Oh- and my name's Willow...and you
Mr. Snyder can just kiss my ass."

Staring dumbfounded at her as she takes her seat, Snyder hesitantly
takes to the microphone once more. "Th- thank you, Miss Ros-
umm...Willow. Ladies and gentlemen, we have assembled here tonight to
celebrate something of great significance. Each of these students has
proven that hard work and dedication is its own reward..."

Buffy tunes his false praises out as she considers that significance.
The comprehension struck her like a thunderclap. <It's over. All of it.
Over. I'll walk up to the stage and receive my diploma, then...what?>

One by one, they walk up to the stage, shake Snyder's hand, and return
to their seats with diploma in hand. Xander adds to the spectacle in his
own inimitable fashion, screaming "Hallelujah! Free at last! Free at
last!" as he ambles off the stage and jogs back to his seat. Portions of
the assembly broke out in laughter. <Class clown to the end,> Buffy
laughs to herself.

The rest of them would follow suit, sans the comic relief. Each of them
receive the traditional handshake, receive the traditional diploma, and
make the traditional walk back to their seats. They say nothing to one
another as the rest of the student body also partakes of the ceremony.
They drink it in, the remarkability of the moment. The field lights pop
on as the sun starts to set on the horizon. <A fitting gesture of
symbolism,> Buffy thinks. <The sun will set tonight, then rise tomorrow-
the birth of a new day.> And the birth of a new life for the slayer.


And I try not
To rely on another world
Or the future
The whole of the universe
Is a mystery

******

They gather in the side parking lot after changing out of their 'formal
attires' in the locker rooms following the ceremony. Xander, relieved to
be free of his awkward-fitting cap at last, doesn't seem to stop beaming
at the thought that he'd no longer have to be subjected to the horrors
of highschool life. Buffy's parents walk up to them with their
congratulations, and Joyce stretches out her arms to get their
attention. "Alright people, here's the plan," she says. "Half of you go
in Oz's van, the rest of you will come with us in the Explorer. We're
all headed back to our house for a little party. Mr. Giles," she turns
to the ex-watcher, "you'll be joining us I hope?"

"Yes. Yes, of course. But I've got a few...things to finish up here.
Then I have to, umm...pick up one or two items at my apartment-"

"Aww...you didn't have to buy us anything, G-man," Xander gushes over him.

"I didn't," he chuckles. "At least not for people who insist on calling
me that. But I will be over as soon as I've taken care of everything,"
he passes around a warm smile before turning to head to his own car.
"Oh- umm...Willow? May I...speak with you for a minute?"

"Sure..." The redhead walks alongside him through the parking lot,
already having a pretty good idea as to what he wanted to talk about.

"I'm going over to the mansion right now...check up on Angel. You and
Buffy meet me there in a little bit, but none of the others."

"But Giles...I already told them about the prophecy-"

"Yes, but none of them know about the actual act. I'm afraid of how they
would react knowing what Buffy must do."

"Alright...give us about an hour...we'll be over."

Minutes after Giles and the Scoobs head their separate ways, the
graduates are tumbling out of Hank's Explorer and Oz's trusty van as
they pull up to the Summers' house. They had removed their graduation
attire, and were anxious to get a nice family meal together. Buffy was
tossing her robe into the back seat as the others were goofing around,
walking up the porch into her home.

Dinner soon turned into a happy retrospective of the friends' memories
of some of their better moments in their four years at Sunnydale High.
Xander kept Hank entertained with his good-natured antics, while Willow
and Cordelia endeared themselves even more to him with their charming
and bubbling personalities. For his part, Oz was enjoying just sitting
back, watching the others interact and engage in conversation- not
exactly his area of expertise.

While the others were enjoying themselves, Buffy can't help but grow
more worried about Angel. He'd promised to be at the house at sundown,
which was a good thiry minutes ago. She now began fearing the worst,
that he wasn't physically able to keep his promise and had been ravaged
again by whatever was causing his weakened state. "Honey?" Joyce places
a hand on her shoulder, "you're awfully quiet. Anything wrong?"

"I'm just worried about Angel. He should've been here by now. I think
I'm gonna run upstairs and change then head over to the mansion. Make
sure he's okay." With that, she pulls away from the table and begins
racing up the stairs until her mother's voice draws her to a hault.

"Honey, no-" Joyce hesitates. She didn't want to ruin her daughter's
surprise by letting her see her now-emptied room, but she was also well
aware of how troubled Buffy would be without checking on her boyfriend.
Before she can get another word out, the phone rings.

"I'll get it in my room," Buffy draws in a sharp breath, "maybe it's
Angel." Not waiting for her mother to respond, Buffy charges into her
room, only to be struck by the realization of it's total lack of
everything. Only a few of her posters were left hanging on the mostly
bare walls. The plush carpet, phone, and bright curtains were the only
two pieces of proof that the room had ever been inhabited. The slayer is
so baffled that she almost doesn't notice that the phone had already
been picked up.

Gathering her bearings, trying to get over her first shock of finding
her room gone, she picks up the phone, only to hear even more
devastating news.

"...well is he alright?" Willow's worried voice comes leaping over the
line, panic and fear clearly evident in her tone.

"I put him into bed..." Giles breathes out, "but...Willow- we're out of
time. He's not going to last much longer."

"I'll get Buffy. We'll be right over."

Trying to maintain whatever senses she had left, Buffy hurries down the
stairs, seeing Willow waiting for her at the bottom. "Buffy- that was
Giles. We need to-"

"I heard," she cuts her off, the fear and anger raising in her voice.
"What's going on? I go upstairs to find a hole in the wall where my room
should be, and now you and Giles have been keeping something from me
about Angel??"

"Buffy..." Willow finds herself unable to explain things just yet,
hoping desperately that she wouldn't lose her best friend in the
process. "We have to get to the mansion. Please, just...let's just go..."

"Honey, what's going on?" Joyce steps up behind them, anxious to hear
what Angel's condition was.

"We have to go to the mansion right now," Buffy states, an intensity
lacing over her words.

"What's wrong?" Xander calls over to them as he, Cordelia, Oz, and Hank
join them.

"That was Giles," Willow answers. "He, uh..." She looks to Hank, trying
to come up with some sort of believable excuse other than the truth.
"...needs some help taking care of some...wrapping up things from
graduation. You know- collecting gowns and hats and stuff. Oh-
plus...Xander has a few overdue library books that he needs to bring to
him right away."

"I do?" Receiving a subtle kick to the shin from his girlfriend, he
quickly shuts up. "Oh- yeah. Don't wanna have them take away my diploma.
Come on, let's go."

The friends were in such a frenzy piling into Oz's van that Willow
completely forgets what Giles had told her about bringing everyone. "Aw
man..." she sighs, bringing a hand to her forehead.

"Somebody better start explaining things," Buffy nearly shouts, casting
her eyes from one friend to another, looking for answers.

"Willow..." Cordelia leans over, "does this have anything to do with
tonight? What Giles told you about-"

"How did you...you heard?"

"I accidently picked up the phone this morning," she defends herself.
"Not like I was spying on you or anything!"

"Wait- what happened this morning?" Buffy raises her eyes to them.

"Giles called us while we were at Angel's," Xander blurts out, though
instantly regrets opening his mouth. "Xander...you've got a really big
mouth that you need to keep shut with Twinkies at all times..." he
mutters to himself, letting out a nervous laugh as he sees Buffy angrily
staring at him.

"Look-" Buffy raises an arm in the air to stop their fussing. "One of
you had better tell me what the hell is going on right now and why none
of you had the decency to tell me before!"
 
Part 10
 

Buffy comes pounding through the mansion's front doors, the rest of the
Scoobs trying to catch up with her. "What happened? Angel- is he alright??"

"Yes," comes Giles' soft reply. "He passed out and took a tumble down
the stairs. I took him up...stairs..." Giles trails off, watching as his
former slayer flys up the massive stairway. Lifting a shaky hand to his
head, he removes his glasses and turns his head, only to see all of the
others standing in the great hall, staring at him with blank, helpless
faces.

"What are you all doing here?" he asks them all, though his eyes turn
accusingly to Willow. "There's no need for you all to stay." Not
expecting Xander to be the one to confront him, Giles replaces his
glasses, blinking back a few times as the young man approaches him.

"Angel's sick...Buffy's a nervous wreck...we stay."

A streak of moonlight drew away behind the heavy drawn draperies as
Angel slowly begins to open his eyes, immediately settling them on
Buffy, sitting on the bed by his side. A soft breeze was blowing in,
playing in her hair as she reaches out a hand to softly caress his
sweat-streaked face, feeling Angel move slightly in response to her.
"Angel?" her voice whispers as she leans forward to give him a closer
look. "Are you...?"

"I'm okay..." he tries insisting for the millionth time that week.

"Would you stop saying that?" she snaps back at him. "Whatever's
happening to you has gone way beyond just scaring me. Giles, Willow and
the others are all downstairs," she announces, feeling him tense at the
librarian's name.

"Giles? You...talked to Giles?" <Did he tell her about the prophecy?>

"No. Angel- has Giles or Willow said anything to you about what's going
on?" She feels his hesitation to reveal anything and instantly pushes
him for an answer. "Angel- what's going on? What have Giles and Willow
told you?" As he opens his mouth to tell her the little bit that Willow
had told him, another voice can be heard coming up the stairs.

"Buffy..." Willow sticks her head in the door frame, fearing her
friend's reaction, "Giles wants to...talk...downstairs. He said to br-"

"I'll be down in a minute," Buffy's stern voice shoots back.

"But he wants you to bring down-"

"Willow- just get out! I'll be down in a minute!" Not wanting to cause
her any more reason to be upset, Willow turns back around, headed
downstairs with the others.

A few minutes later, Buffy emerges at the top of the stairs, slowly
making her descent. The others were all seated around the fireplace, a
heavy silence draped over them. As she approaches, she opens her mouth,
shakes her head, and snaps it shut. Other than the clock and the soft
crackling of the fire, there was no sound among them.

"How's Angel?" Willow takes it upon herself to open things up, nervously
lifting her eyes to face Buffy.

"Sleeping..." she quickly answers back, now folding her arms across her
chest. "What is going on? And right about now, I'd appreciate the truth,
since anything less is apt to get you all beaten-"

"Buffy-" Giles tries calming her, but he couldn't stop her- she was in
full rant mode.

"Don't 'Buffy' me, Giles! You're in on this too! Now what the hell is
happening to Angel?!"

With a deep sigh, Willow shifts a bit in her seat before finally
explaining things to Buffy. "When you first told me about Angel getting
sick, I started doing some research. Giles and I...found an ancient
prophecy about the 'souled vampire' who would finally regain his
humanity. Something called Shanshu. It talks about the vampire's
redemption being brought about by the strongest lifeforce known to the
universe-"

"In this case," Giles interjects, "the bond that you two share. It's
quite powerful-"

"Gee- what a shocker!" Buffy throws her hands up in the air. "Never saw
that startling revelation coming! Still confused over here- what exactly
is happening to him?"

"He's becoming human, Buffy..." Giles simply states, finding Buffy, for
the first time he could remember, at a loss for words. "It's a process
you see. It started at the beginning of the week. As he continued to
regain his humanity, his body became more steadily and more extremely
affected by the factors that humanity brings with it."

"So that's why he's been so sick? Because his body can't handle it?"

"Not without..." The englishman hesitates, averting his eyes to the floor.

"Without what?" Getting no response from any of them, Buffy's strangled
voice shouts out to them once more. "Damn it- without what?!"

"The sacrifice..." Giles resumes softly. "The humanity has to be
anchored by an ultimate, noble sacrifice-"

"You call letting someone drink your blood noble?!" Cordelia blurts out
in her typical fashion. "It's just gross if you ask me."

"What is she babbling about?" Buffy sighs, sounding frustrated and
harried even to herself. "Guys- just stop, okay! Stop with the cryptic
and tell me what Angel needs to get better!"

There was a moment's silence before Giles lifts his eyes to her. He had
an expression on his face Buffy couldn't quite read- she didn't believe
she'd ever seen it before. Somewhere between hopelessness and disbelief
at what he was about to tell her.

"Your blood. If Angel doesn't...without your blood to maintain him, well..."

Buffy slips into a sudden daze, her ears falling deaf to Giles'
stammering. She could only gaze at them all, her eyes bright and
lustrous with the emotions running rampant throughout her- shock,
bewilderment, confusion, but never once, for a single moment, do her
mind and heart harbor any doubt as to what she would do tonight. And
while she remains there, mesmerized by all that she'd finally been
informed of, tears begin to spill out of her eyes.

"It took you all...three days...to tell me any of this while I've had to
stand by...watching my lover die. My only question for you is why?"

"Buffy...we didn't want to-"

"What?!" she turns to face Giles more fully. "You didn't want to worry
me, is that it?! Didn't want to get my hopes up that Angel could finally
gain back the humanity that was stolen from him?!"

"Well...those make our top ten list," Xander tries lightening their
mood, but finds his efforts met with a round of sharp glares.

"This is fun for you, isn't it Xander?!" Buffy yells at him, trying to
stifle a sob. "Everything's just one big joke to you, isn't it? Always
has been..."

Taken aback by her outburst, Xander goes to speak up, but stops himself
once he feels Cordelia's hand come to rest on his shoulder. The other
Scoobs, unsure of how to act, continue staring after Buffy as she makes
her way over to the stairs. Wishing she could somehow redo the past 72
hours, Willow follows after her.

"What can we..." she reaches out a tentative hand to place on her best
friend's shoulder, but winds up pulling it back when she feels Buffy
flinch away.

"Don't...touch me."

"Please..." the redhead, now on the verge of tears herself, desperately
tries again. "What can we do?"

"Leave...go home. All of you...just leave us here..."

"Wait a minute-" Xander pushes past Cordelia, no longer able to hold
himself back. "You're not actually going to go through with this, are
you? You're going to let him...feed off of you? How do we even know this
prophecy is the real deal?"

"Xander..." Giles tries warning him, but again finds himself incapable
of reaching any of them.

"No- I'm serious! Buffy, this is insane! You're the slayer, and you're
gonna let a vampire- umph!!" Xander's head goes reeling back, his body
following suit, as the impact of Buffy's solid punch almost knocks him
off of his feet.

"I would die for him..." she proudly states, turning to head up the
stairs once again. "Now go...there's nothing that any of you can do or
say. If you're not all gone when I come back down...I'll put you all out
myself."

Seeing Xander take another step towards stopping her, Giles grabs him by
the arm, pulling him back into the great hall. "Don't. Let's just go."

"You've got to be kidding me! You're just gonna let her stay here to
have him sink his fangs into her?!"

"Now you listen to me!" Giles' yell matches Xander as he grabs him more
forcefully, surprising himself and the others. "I am not leaving her
here to have a vampire feed from her...I'm leaving her here to give her
and a fine young man who all of us, including *you*, have come to trust
and depend on over the years, a chance at a normal life together. A
chance to forge a new destiny for the both of them, away from the
darkness they've both been condemned to for so long.

In case you haven't noticed, that girl loves and needs him more than
anyone else in her life- including all of us. And Angel has proven on
more than one occasion just how much he worships her. So unless you plan
on spending the next few evenings in the intensive care unit of the
hospital, may I suggest that for once you shut up and go home!"

******

Black, orange, white, and red
Dresses hanging off your bed
 From now until you reach your grave
Baby I will be your slave


When she's certain that the others have left, Buffy enters Angel's room,
taking a seat on the bed. She can hear Angel whimpering in his sleep,
caught up in a delirious state. She glances around the room, finally
noticing where all of her things had traveled.

"Buffy..." comes Angel's weak voice as he takes a few haggard breaths.
"It's you..."

"It's me," she forces a smile out, placing a gentle hand against his
sweaty cheek. "I see you and mom have already planned on renting out my
room," she chuckles, happy to see a small smile form at the corners of
his mouth.

"I wanted to...to surprise you. For graduation...moving in with me."
After a fit of painful coughing he continues. "Won't get to have it now...

"Don't talk like that...we'll be all cuddled up with Mr. Gordo tomorrow
night."

"I didn't...want to go without seeing you."

"Angel..." she begins, forcing back her own tears, "...I can cure you."

"It's okay..." he whispers, taking another gulp of air. "I'm ready."

"Angel, listen to me- sit up," she instructs him, wincing herself as she
sees a bolt of pain cross his features. "You're going to live. You
*have* to live...and you're going to be human," her mouth betrays her,
forming a small smile at the thought.

"Giles...Willow...told you?" At her simple nod, he presses further for
an answer. "What do I...the sacrifice...Willow never told me...what is
it?" He sees her eyes dead set on his own, a fervent determination in
her voice as she answers him.

"Drink..." Angel's eyes search her face in a state of confusion,
watching as she removes his own leather jacket, revealing even more of
her skin through her black tank top. "Drink me..."


Ask for your hand to hold
I could never be so bold
I could never be so brave
Baby I will be your slave


Angel feels a cold thread of terror slip down the center of his mind.
"No..." he hears himself say in a panicked voice.

"It's the only way." Her voice comes sharp, holding a commanding note
he'd rarely heard her use.

"Get away..." Desperate to get himself as far away from her and the idea
as possible, he pushes her aside, trying to pull himself to his feet.

"It'll save you. Angel- you'll be human."

"It'll kill you," he matches her resolute voice, closing his mind off to
the demon's voice raging within to break her skin and drink from her
lifeforce.

"Maybe not- not if you don't take it all."

"You can't ask me to do this."

"I won't let you die," Buffy softly cries. "I can't."

"No...I won't. I'd rather die...it's over..."


I had a dream of bleeding skies
Crippled legs and static eyes
All I stole and all I gave
Baby I will be your slave


Stumbling on his feet, Angel clumsily makes his way down the stairs,
reaching a hand out to steady himself against a wall as he crosses over
into the great hall. Losing his balance, his legs giving way, he feels
himself falling forward, knocking into the nearby table. Buffy catches
him in time to prevent his full descent to the floor, pulling him back
to his feet where he stands with his head spinning and his stomach churning.

"It's never over- not with us! It will never be over with us! I won't
let you die. Drink..."

"Please..." he begs her, tearing his eyes away from her, trying to
maintain his resolve.

Seeing no other way, Buffy does what she realizes she should've done at
first. She balls up her fist, whips it back, and sends it straight
across Angel's jaw, praying his demon would bring forth its rage,
gaining control. Only slightly reeling from the blow, Angel lifts his
head back up to face her. He wanted Buffy to see him, to see him on the
verge of tears himself at what she was asking him to do. But once again
he feels her fist connect with his face, this time more forcefully.

Staggering on his feet by now, he meets her gaze again, his eyes
momentarily traveling to the curve of her neck. He quickly turns his
head, sickened by what she offered to do, yet full of admiration that
she has the courage and love for him to do so. Buffy swallows a small
sob before punching him a third time, finally succeeding in her task,
bringing his demon to the surface, forcing his game face on.

He feels Buffy's hand go up, wrapping around his neck, and tries to stop
her, but there was no strength left in his body or mind. Buffy draws in
a convulsive breath and pulls his face to the curve of her neck,
cradling him in a strong grip to keep him from tearing away from her.
His hesitation lasts only a moment before he hugs her tightly to him,
supporting her back with a steady arm, feeling her tremble as he breaks
through her skin.


I'm broken, lost in misery
But you don't have to worry about me
I have no more soul to save
So baby I will be your slave


Her heart beating in her ears, her breaths coming more rapidly, Buffy
chokes down a wimper as she feels the first few trickles of blood
sliding down her neck. The strength flows out of her legs and she feels
herself slip backwards onto the floor, Angel quickly following. As he
slides an arm around her, supporting his weight with the other, without
thinking, he plunges his fangs in deeper, eliciting a soft moan from her
that dances with his own.

Buffy's body shifts forward and her head lolls back, the skin of her
face flushed with the intensity surging through her. She'd always loved
him with a passion that ached, that burned inside of her, but this new
sensation went beyond meer physicality, reaching a part of her soul
she'd never known existed until feeling her lover, her soulmate, drink
of her essence.

The impulse created between the two was so strong it overrode any
coherent thoughts playing in Angel's mind. Just as his demon was raging
within, his soul screams out from underneath as the slayer's potent
blood spills down his throat. From out of the corner of his eye he sees
Buffy's arm fly out, her hand grasping onto a metal pitcher he'd knocked
over in his attempt to outrun her. In a split-second, the metal twists
and contourts underneath her grip, making a clinking resonance that
almost overshadows their own intense sighs.

Angel slides up a hand, cradling her head as he begins to feel her
heartbeat pulsing through him, giving back life to his own cold dead
one. He clings to her as he feels her settle her legs alongside his
waist, her hands coming to rest on his back as she pulses underneath of
him. Buffy's entire body clenches, her leg jolting out with her own
powerful release, breaking the nearby table into two splintered pieces.

He moans against her throat when she grasps him a final time, trying to
recover any sense of self. Pulling away from her with a jerk, he feels
his face, now rid of his vampiric features, dripping wet. The moisture
may have beem from sweat or it might have been tears. "Oh god..."

Little by little, Angel's strength returns and he crawls back over to an
unconscious Buffy. "Buffy?" He smooths a hand over her throat, feeling
for a pulse but finding none. "Buffy..."

******

"We need help! She's lost a lot of blood!" With Buffy cradled in his
trembling arms, Angel charges into the emergency room, demanding someone
help them.

"What happened?" a nurse approaches him, leading him to a free operating
room.

"She needs blood. She's lost a lot of blood..." he repeats, finding
himself unable to produce much more of an explanation.

"Try to stay calm. We're going to take care of her," the nurse tries
comforting him as he lays her out on the table.

"Something bit her. She needs a transfusion- now!"

"You found her?" the attending doctor makes his way over to them. "Was
she conscious?"

"Yes."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes! I'm sure!" The doctor gives his instructions to the nurse, then
pulls aside Angel to gather more information. "Tell me what happened."

"Something bit her- I don't know what."

"Any allergies?"

"None-" he almost growls, breaking off a piece of the door behind him
with his arm, surprised by the fact that he could still do so. "Just
help her."

"We'll do everything we can," he promises. "But you'll have to wait
outside." Passing a glance to her, not trying to make sense of the
situation, only wanting it to go away, he hears himself muttering
something to the doctor. "A phone..."

"Right out there," he points before returning to the room to help the
poor young girl who'd just been brought in.

Angel stares thoughtlessly at the payphone as he dials Buffy's home,
fully expecting the worst reaction from Joyce.

"Hello?"

"Joyce..."

"Angel! Where are you? Are you alright?"

"The hospital..." he whispers, so quietly she strains to hear him.
"Buffy..."

"I'll be right down!"

He had expected her accusations to come immediately but figured she'd
save that for a face to face confrontation. Lifting a shaky hand to dial
again, he almost flinches away when he hears Willow's voice answer after
the first ring.

"Hello?"

"Willow-"

"Angel! What happened? What's wrong?"

"Hospital..." He finds his vocabulary quickly dwindling with his second
call, hoping Willow would volunteer to inform the others.

"Oh god- I'll get everyone- we're on our way!"

******

"Where's my daughter?" To say that Hank was panicked would've been a
severe overstatement. With Joyce only a few steps behind him, the
overwhelmed father runs clear past a still in shock Angel, pounding on
the nurses' counter. "Buffy Summers...where is she? Where's my daughter?!"

"Sir, she's still receiving treatment," the young nurse explains. "She's
lost a tremendous amount of blood. It's a good thing that young man over
there found her when he did, otherwise..." She sits back in awe,
watching Hank snap around to set his eyes on Angel.

"What happened to her?" he demands, marching over to where the newly
turned human Angel sits. "Damn it-" he grabs him by his sweater, pulling
him to his feet, "I said what happened to her?!"

"Hank!" Joyce shouts, raising a hand to his shoulder, tearing him off of
Angel. Hastily brushing past him, she pulls Angel to the side, her voice
more calm, but still near the breaking point. "What happened?"

Angel stares at her dully before giving any response. "She...she..."
Seeing him still in a horrorified state, she leads him over to a seat,
sitting down alongside him. "Angel...please..." Joyce places a hand
aross his chest, "what happ-" Focusing more intently on what she comes
to discover beating beneath her hand, she takes notice of his face, full
of more color than she was used to seeing. As their eyes meet, she can
almost feel the new life pumping through his system. "Oh my-" <How? This
is impossible.> "Angel...you're alive," she breathes out as more of a
question than an observation.

Watching as he swallows the lump in his throat, Joyce turns her head
towards the room where Buffy was still being treated, trying to piece
everything into some sort of perspective. <There's something else going
on here...>

"Mr. and Mrs. Summers?" the young nurse calls over to them, "the doctor
has just finished up with Buffy."

"Is she alright?" Hank asks.

"She'll be fine. She's had a transfusion and she's regained
consciousness. You can go in and see her now. Only two at a time
though..." she trails off, her eyes casting a slightly timid glance at
the young man who'd so brazenly and dauntingly brought her in for
treatment.

"You'll be okay?" Joyce checks with Angel, not exactly wanting to leave
him in his state. He slowly nods without looking up at her, feeling a
small pat on his shoulder before she and Hank head down the hall to
Buffy's room.

"Sweetheart..." Hank breathes a sigh of relief upon seeing his daugher
sitting up in bed. He wraps her up into a tight hug, being careful not
to upset the bandage that was gracing the side of her neck. "Thank god
you're alright. What happened?" After receiving the same treatment from
her mother, Buffy comes up with an explanation.

"Well I was at Angel's to- to see why he never showed up at the house.
He had...been resting and just lost track of the time. We were walking
back to the house and...something just leapt out at us. I don't even
know what it was-"

"And he didn't protect you!" Hank immediately shouts.

"He couldn't, dad! It got him too!"

"He looks perfectly fine to me!"

"Is he okay?" Buffy moves forward on the bed, trying to pull herself to
her feet but finds herself being restrained by both of her parents.

"You're staying right here until the doctor clears you to come home,"
Joyce's stern voice informs her. "I'll send Angel in."

Despite Hank's immediate protests, Joyce pushes him aside to go out into
the hall to get Angel. But before she even reaches him, she can feel her
ex-husband's hand grabbing her arm from behind, spinning her around to
face him. "Are you crazy, Joyce? I don't want my daughter going anywhere
near him from this point on!"

"Excuse me, but *our* daughter is eighteen years old, has a very level
head, and is in love with a fine young man who's never done a single
thing that wasn't in her best interest..." she pulls away from him
before adding "...unlike some..."

"And just what is that supposed to mean?"

"It means that I don't understand why suddenly you've decided to take
such an interest in her life- it's not like you've bothered much in the
past few years. So either you can make yourself useful for a change and
go to the cafeteria to grab us some coffee, or you can wait for me to
call security and have them escort you out of this hospital...unless of
course you'd like me to show you out in my own special way?!"

Seeing no point in fighting, though completely shocked by how a woman he
thought he had known so well could be in full support of letting their
daughter continue a relationship with this young man, Hank storms off
down the hall to the elevators, heading up to the cafeteria.

"Joyce!" Giles, with Willow and Oz following behind, comes running down
the hall, anxious for news on Buffy. "Where's Buffy? Is she alright?"

"She's fine, she's fine," she assures them, leading them along to where
Angel still sat in a daze. "The doctors gave her a transfusion..."

Three sets of eyes come to rest on Angel, not necessarily accusing, but
still questionable to say the least. "Can we see her?" Willow asks.

"Of course- but she wants to see Angel now..." Joyce rests a hand on his
shoulder, grabbing his attention. "Angel? Buffy wants to see you."

Blinking back his own tears, Angel stands to his feet, a slight hunch
and uneasiness in his step as he slowly makes his approach to Buffy's room.

"Where are Xander and Cordelia?" Joyce asks, taking a seat along with
the others.

"I called them," Willow answers, "they're on their way."

"Joyce..." Giles turns in his chair to fully face her, "there are a few
things we need to tell you," he begins before outlining the past week
for her, finally giving her the answers she'd been looking for.

"So no wonder Angel is so upset...my god..."

******

Angel finally reaches her room, slowly leaning his head in, but Buffy
instantly spots him. "Angel!" she shoots up from the bed, pulling him
into a tight embrace, but is surprised to find him give her barely any
response. She rests her head against his chest, tears nearly springing
to her eyes as she feels his steady heartbeat against her cheek. She
grasps his hand, leading him over to the bed so that she can sit down,
still feeling a bit lightheaded. She tries pulling him down to sit
beside her, but finds him resisting. Leaning up to gently kiss him, a
small gasp escapes her lips when he pulls away from her. "Angel...what's
wrong?" No response. "Are you okay?"

Angel barely nods his head in recognition. Buffy softly traces a finger
along the hand she was still gripping as she notices the tears welling
up in his eyes. "Angel..."

"I'm sorry..." he says with a weak voice. "Buffy, I'm so sorry..."

"No...don't do this, Angel," she gets out between her own sobs. "Don't
you do this, Angel- you have nothing to be sorry for." He seems lifeless
to her, and at a moment when he'd finally, after so long, regained his
humanity, this scared her beyond words. "Angel, I'm fine. *We're* fine,
and you're *human*," she emphasizes, giving his hand another squeeze.
"That's all that matt-"

"I lost the last breathe of me that was human when I fed from you..."

Although her eyes were by now streaming with tears, Buffy puts on her
most resolved face, reaching out to grab him and pulls him into her arms
despite his struggle. "I love you," she whispers against his temple. She
pulls out of their forced embrace to capture his eyes with her own
intense gaze. "We're going home- now."

"No..." His returned, more forceful speech takes her by surprise as she
gets out of bed, headed for the door. "You're staying here. You're still-"

"We're going home," she repeats, her voice this time deadset as she
grabs his reluctant hand once more, leading him out into the hall and
over to the counter. "Who do I talk to about being released?"

"Released?" the nurse eyes her warily. "Miss Summers, you've experienced
quite a bit of trauma tonight and you've lost a significant amount of
blood. It would be in your best interest to-"

"It would be in my *best interest* to be able to make my own damn
decisions for once in my life!" she shouts, knowing full well that her
friends were listening to her every word. "Now where's my doctor?"

"Honey, honey-" Joyce walks over to her, placing a warm hand on her
shoulder as if to calm her down. "Mr. Giles and I will go talk to the
doctor about getting you released tonight." Joyce and Giles leave with
Buffy to follow the nurse down the hall, as Angel takes a seat next to
Willow and Oz.

"Are you okay?" Oz looks over to him. "Angel?"

Angel looks to him, startled, as if his voice had brought him out of a
deep private reverie. "No..." His calm broke. He fetches a deep sigh and
runs a hand distractedly through his hair. "I...god...what I did...to
her...to Buffy..." Willow and Oz can only look to each other, trying to
think of how to possibly respond.

"I'm out of here," the three can hear the slayer's voice as she, Joyce,
and Giles return.

"Oh- I'd better go get your father," Joyce sighs, turning in the
opposite direction to head upstairs. "Wait right here. We'll be down in
a minute."

"Buffy..." Willow places a tentative hand on her friend's arm, hoping
she wouldn't flinch away from her touch again. "Are you sure you're-"

"I'm fine," she quickly retorts, moving over to pull Angel to his feet.
"We're going home."

Buffy forces Angel to look up at her, holding his face in her hands. As
she looks anxiously into his eyes, her ears pick up on the voices
quickly approaching from down the hall.

"Xander-" Cordelia's is the first that Buffy can make out. "Don't!"

"You bastard!"

After shoving Buffy out of the way from behind, Xander grabs Angel, and
locking his arms behind his head, slams him face first into the wall. In
an instant, he pulls him away, whipping him into a nearby metal cart,
sending him flipping over it, injuring Angel's knee in the process.

"Xander!" Buffy yells, rushing him from behind, knocking him off to the
side.

"What is going on here?!" one of the nurses behind the front desk calls
over, while another reaches over for the phone to call security. Not
wanting to complicate matters any more, Giles hurries over to plead with
her to withhold any call. "We'll handle this- I swear it. Xander!!
Outside- now!"

"The hell with that!" he snaps back, going to lunge for Angel once more
but finds Buffy standing in his way. "Buffy- get out of the way! You're
still hurt!"

"Get the hell out of here, Xander!! Now!!"

"Buffy-" he makes another move forward until Buffy grabs hold of his arm.

"If you touch him, I'll kill you."

"We're not leaving you with him! *I'm* not leaving you with him!"

"You don't have a choice! Oh- actually you do. You either leave now, or
you stay for six months eating all your meals through a straw!!

"I'm calling security," the fervent nurse calls over again, but before
she can grab the phone, Giles grabs Xander from behind. "Outside- now!!"
With Oz's help, Giles succeeds in removing him from the scene, dragging
him out to the parking lot.

As Cordelia and Willow rush to Buffy's side, their eyes finally take in
Angel's condition. His forehead was now graced by a three inch gash that
was bleeding profusely and he was having trouble standing to his feet.

"Is he alright?" Cordelia breathes out, genuinely concerned for what she
could only assume was a now very much human Angel.

Before Buffy can answer them, Angel braces himself against the wall,
pulling a hand up to his head as he looks to them. His injured leg would
barely support him as he begins a retreat down the hall. An orderly
pulls him to a halt once he spots his injured condition.

"Sir, you need-" Angel was vaguely aware that he had tossed the young
man into a nearby room before he could even finish his sentence.

"Angel!" Buffy cries, pacing after him. "Wait!"

"Go home, Buffy!" He tries outrunning her, but she quickly catches up to
him in his weakened state. She wraps an arm around his shoulders,
leaning her head against his arm.

"We *are* going home."

"No- wait for your parents, and just go home!"

Extracting himself from her arms, Angel staggers down the hall, reaching
the glass doors and disappears around the corner, leaving Buffy
standing, the tears flowing freely down her face as her world becomes a
wild blur.

"Buffy..." Cordy and Willow make their way over to her, looking to each
other as to what they could do. "Are you..."

"Can we do anything?" Willow cuts into the brunette's thought. Staring
straight ahead down the hall Angel had just left her in, Buffy offers
them her last three words before making her own departure.

"Go to hell..."
 
Part 12
 
The cold rain came, fierce winds blowing through the opened windows of
Joyce's room. Ontop of the bed, curled up into a tiny ball, lay the
slayer, waiting for her mother to return from downstairs. <Go home,
Buffy...> She thought back to Angel's last words to her, thunderstruck.
She should've said something, made some sort of effort to stop him, but
she couldn't seem to get past her feeling of disconnection from him.

"Honey..." Joyce's voice comes wafting into the room, "Willow called
again." Buffy clenches the pillow she was holding tightly at mention of
the wiccan. She must've been so caught up in her own brooding that she'd
never heard the phone ring for the fifth time since she and her mother
had returned home from the hospital. "Wanted me to tell you to please
call her."

Joyce was well aware as to what had happened at the hospital in those
few moments she had left to find Hank, but the severity of it was just
now dawning on her as her ears pick up on Buffy's sobbing. She'd
returned to the emergency room to find Willow and Cordelia staring
blankly down the hospital's corridor. They'd told her about Xander's
rash actions, Angel's cold departure, and pointed her down the hall to
find her daughter. After peering into a few sets of rooms, she finally
made out Buffy's outline through the pouring rain, seeing her standing
out in the parking lot just as the storm had started.

"Honey..." She crosses the room, settling down on the bed, cuddling her
daughter across her lap. Running a hand through Buffy's hair, she tries
calming her enough to get her to talk. "Things will be okay."

"How?" She turns her head slightly to look up at her. "I don't know
anybody anymore..."

"Buffy," Joyce takes a deep sigh, trying to gather her thoughts, "I know
you feel like Willow and Mr. Giles betrayed you-"

"They never told me until he was dying, mom! About an hour before Angel
was set to die was when they finally were so kind as to tell me what was
going on and that I was the only one who could've saved him all along!"
What had been the easy task of simple breathing just seconds ago was now
becoming a struggle as Buffy's sobs begin welling up inside, wracking
her small frame. She breathes in a steady, calming breath before
continuing in an even lower voice. "How do you even begin to forgive
that? How can...how can anyone deserve to be forgiven for that?"

"We don't forgive people because they deserve it, honey. We forgive
people because they need it. And even though I don't think Mr. Giles and
Willow's secrecy was the wisest decision either one of them has ever
made, I still believe that their intentions were good ones-"

"Yeah...trying to make my decisions for me- as always. God mom..." Buffy
sits up, tucking her hair behind her ears. "I just can't do this
anymore. Between Giles, and Willow, and Xander...and dad," she adds as
an afterthought, "I can't stand knowing that they think they know what's
best for me all the time." The slayer closes her eyes tightly as if to
help keep the image from coming into full view in her mind, "I could've
killed them for what they did tonight."

"Who?"

"Dad and Xander. It's bad enough that Angel's already low self-esteem
guy, but dad didn't help improve upon it with all he had to say."

"That's just your father's way, dear," Joyce reflects with a somber
note. "Always has been."

"And then Xander- I never thought he could be so unimaginably heartless."

In a way, Joyce agreed on almost every level with her daughter. And
since she was opening up voluntarily for the first time in years, she'd
be damned if she was going to toss out any criticisms. "And Angel..."
she finally begs the question, knowing full well he was the first and
last thing on Buffy's mind.

"He wouldn't...even look at me..." Joyce translates from her daughter's
soft wimpering. <Go home, Buffy...> "And he was hurt...and he wouldn't
even..."

"Oh, honey...honey..." Side by side mother and daughter lay, Joyce's
arms protectively wrapped around her little girl. She couldn't help but
ache for both her and the young man she'd come to regard so highly.

An hour dragged by like a year, and still Buffy hadn't made a move to
leave her mother's arms. "Buffy..." Joyce begins tentatively, afraid to
spoil the soft peacefulness that had falled over them, "how are you
feeling?"

"I don't know..."

Joyce pulls slightly away from her to sit up and face her fully. Looking
at her for the longest moment, her eyes lower to the curve of her neck,
now bandage free. The small mark that was already beginning to scar
graced her skin and stood out to her as a chilling reminder as to the
evening's events. "Are you sure that doesn't hurt?"

Spotting her mother's eyes trailing over her warily, Buffy immediately
goes on the defense. "Mom- he had to. I had to make him- he wouldn't do
it, do you know that? He would've rather died than having to do it, and
I'm sure he would've if I hadn't knocked him so far out of it that his
demon took over." Still seeing her brow furrowing at the sight of the
mark she now bared, Buffy sits up as well. "Mom...don't..."

"I'm not, honey. Just like you, I don't think Angel could ever do any
wrong in my eyes. It's just...it's just a little much for a mother to
take in at once." She makes a gentle grab of the blonde's hand, running
her thumb over the back of it. "And if I'm having this hard of a time
adjusting to all that's just happened...if seeing how he was when he
brought you to the hospital was any clear indication, Angel must be
beside himself."

Buffy didn't offer any other response than to pull herself to her feet,
give Joyce a quick hug goodbye, and begin her run to the mansion...her
run home.

******

Angel sits silent in front of the mansion's fireplace, from time to time
staring off into the sudden feeling of empitness that accompanied the
absence of his lover. Without her presence, everything just seemed to be
frozen within the immaculate building's walls- including him. Each time
the image or sensation of drinking from his beloved would enter his
thoughts, he'd smother a cry- a now-warm hand hovering over his mouth;
something wild and frightening burgeoned in his heart just from the idea
that he'd fed from her.

It was the sudden knocking at the doors that finally tore him away from
his brooding. After a bit of a struggle, he pulls himself to his feet,
still favoring his left leg, the right seemingly being twisted or torn
at the knee. He could feel himself quivering all over, his mind still
reeling from the evening's events. As he pulls back the door, his head
almost instinctively lowers as his guest offers him a cold, hard,
resolute face upon being greeted.

"Hello Hank..."
 
Part 13
 
Hank Summers brushes past Angel, hastily making his way into the
mansion. Angel takes a step back, slowly closing the door behind him as
he turns towards him.

"You're hurt..." Hank observes, a true master of the obvious as he
watches Angel limping over to where he stood.

"It's nothing..." Angel softly replies, still averting his eyes from
Buffy's father. "I slipped leaving the hospital-"

"Is that so?" Angel suddenly feels very wary of Hank's almost accusing
tone, and he fights to control the terrible sinking feeling that was
developing in his stomach. "Xander tells things a little differently."

A wave of panic and sheer dread washes over the former vampire upon
hearing Hank's revelation. "Xander's filled me in on quite a few things
these past few hours," Hank continues, folding his arms across his
chest. "And it's a good thing we were both still at the hospital when he
did, because after hearing everything, I'm surprised I didn't drop dead
right there in the emergency room. But then..." he moves over to where
Angel was sitting on the arm of the sofa, "...I suppose you would know
all there is to know about *dying*, wouldn't you?"

Angel was taken aback by this bold inference, and he struggles to keep
himself calm. "Hank...I-"

"I want you out of my daugher's life- completely and permanently. I
don't want you to spend one more moment with Buffy. You're not the type
of person I dreamed about her finding. I had someone else- anyone human-
in mind."

Angel says the only thing he can, flatly declaring, "I am human-"

"After feeding from my daughter!" Hank's voice echos off of the
mansion's towering walls, resonating in Angel's ears. "It's hard enough
finding out that my daughter is some sort of freak herself, but I will
not have her-"

"Buffy's not a freak!" Angel snaps back, beginning to feel the anger
building within. He was already thoroughly upset by the remarks Hank had
directed to him, but he wouldn't stand for him insulting Buffy in any way.

"I can make your life a living hell, Angel. Whether you're human now or
not- it doesn't change what you are. Just because you've won over Joyce
and the others doesn't gain you points as a decent person. Buffy may not
see what you really are- but I do." Hank pauses, then adds, "You know,
even talking about my daughter being with you in any sense is turning my
stomach. So right about now, I think you'd better-"

"I think you'd better leave, Mr. Summers," comes Giles' voice from the
doorway. Angel and Hank turn to see the ex-watcher with a stern glint in
his eye as he walks over to them. "I can't really see you having any
business here with your ridiculous accusations-"

"Accusations?! Are you denying the fact that he's a vampire and has just
ravaged my poor daughter to save his own ass?!"

"A vampire?? And I suppose if Xander told you that Willow was a witch or
Oz was a werewolf you'd believe that too?" Angel can't help but give
Giles a look at the all too true revelations he'd just made, though Hank
was never the wiser.

"Don't be ridiculous!"

"Well then- you see my point," Giles sighs.

"No- what I see is my daughter with a strange bite mark on her neck
where this..." he throws a pointed stare to Angel, "...this *thing*
mauled her! And while you and Joyce encourage it, I won't stand by and
watch my daughter being warped by some demon!"

"No...but that's considering you would ever stay around your daughter
long enough to take notice of anything important to her in her life,"
Giles spits out, Hank's stunned face letting him know that he'd finally
gotten to him.

"I don't think my relationship with *my* daughter is any concern of
yours! Now for the last time, I don't want my daughter around this monster!"

"You sir, are severely trying my patience!" Giles makes a shove at
Hank's chest, pushing him slightly away from a stunned Angel. "Angel is
no monster!"

"No..." comes an unyielding voice from behind all three of them. "The
two of you are..."

Buffy storms in through the mansion's front doors, heading immediately
to her father and former watcher. "Get out," she commands in a low,
guttural tone. "The both of you get out- now."

Hank smiles and says placatingly, "Buffy, you're just upset. If you
would only do what I say, calm down, and think this over rationally, you
would realize that I only have your best interests at heart."

"Do what you say?? Since when do I have to do what you say, or what
anyone else says for that matter?! I know you've been out of the loop
for the past few years when it comes to me and just about everybody else
you supposedly *love*, dad, but in case you've forgotten- I'm eighteen!"

"And since when does that mean a parent stops looking out for their child?"

"When a child can no longer respect their parent's opinion!" Buffy
answers him back. "And as of this moment, you just proved why I've lost
all respect for you! Now get out while you still can," she orders again.
"Get out before I throw you out."

"This isn't your home, Buffy," he says reasonably, as if addressing a
child having a fit.

"Well, it is now," Giles chimes in, throwing a glance around the boxes
holding her things. "Please do leave."

Hank looks at everyone in the room in turn. He had known that his
actions wouldn't initially go over well, but he was certain he was doing
the right thing for his daughter. He had been gone from her life far too
long already. He needed to atone for his absence, and he would do that
by ensuring that Buffy did not make this mistake in her life. He was
confident that eventually she would see it his way.

"I'm just looking out for my daughter's best interests," he says after a
long pause. "I can't let her endanger herself by being around him. I'm
just trying to protect you."

"In case you haven't noticed..." Buffy walks over to him, leaning up to
stare him directly in the eyes, "I don't need any protecting- from
anyone, least of all Angel. Now get out before you need some protecting
of your own."

Looking intently at Angel for a final time, he turns and makes his
departure back to his hotel, leaving Giles to fend for himself. "Buffy..."

"Just don't, Giles- okay," the slayer holds up a hand to stop him from
continuing. "Not tonight. Just...get out."

"I understand and respect your wishes, Buffy," Giles calmly begins
before taking off his jacket. "But I'm not leaving here until I've
examined Angel.

"Ex..." The initial sound was the only one Giles and Buffy had heard
Angel make since they'd arrived at the mansion. "Examined?"

"I'd like to take a look at your leg, among other things. See how your
body is reacting to...being human again..."

Giles looks over to Buffy as if checking for permission. Receiving only
a blank stare as a response, he slips an arm underneath Angel's
shoulders, trying to lead him upstairs to tend to him. Seeing him
struggling, Buffy races over, making a move to support him from the
other side, but finds her attempts being brushed off once more.

"What are you..." Angel breathes out, tossing a sideglance to her,
looking up at him with wide, hopeful eyes. "Buffy- what are you doing?
Why did you come here? I told you to go home." Taking hold of his gaze
with her resolute face, she places a hand over his heart, surprised that
he doesn't immediately pull back from her.

"I *am* home..."

******

"Why are you doing this?"

Giles eyes shoot up as he hears Angel's faint whisper. As he places
another layer of bandaging around his knee, Giles offers him the only
response that comes to mind. "Because I want to." Another few minutes of
awkward silence linger between the two until Giles speaks again. "You'll
have to stay off of this for a week or two...take things easy."

The two sit in heavy silence for the duration of Giles' examination, the
librarian's occassional 'hmms' being the only sounds radiating through
Angel's room. "Take this..." Giles hands over a single white pill to
him, along with a glass of water. "It'll help with the pain. Help you
get to sleep."

"It doesn't...hurt as much as it was," Angel remarks, absentmindedly
wondering just why it didn't. "I am tired though."

"Well...just one more stitch, and...there." Giles sits back, reaching
around to grab a nearby mirror to allow Angel to give his work on his
forehead a quick once over.

Letting out a small laugh, Angel averts his eyes from having to stare
into the mirrored glass that would now bear his own reflection. Instead,
he leans back, sinking into the pillows and sheets. "You know, it's
funny..."

"What's that?"

"All these years...not being able to see myself...my reflection. Now
that I can...I can't stand the sight of it."

******
The sound of medical tape being wrapped jars Buffy from the few moments
of sleep she'd been able to grab hold of while waiting downstairs as
requested by both Giles and Angel. Though she was at first hurt and
distraught by Angel's plea with her not to come upstairs with them, she
was at least glad that he hadn't asked her to leave altogether.

"He's, umm..." she picks up on the englishman's voice as he makes his
descent down the stairway. "He's all finished. I put a few stiches in
his forehead and taped up his knee. He should try to stay off of it
until it fully heals...which, if my theory holds true, shouldn't take
too long."

"Theory? What theory- oh no, wait...maybe you'd like a week's time
before you decide to fill me in on it," Buffy can't help but offer him
her sharp response, noticing as his eyes nervously avert her angry glare.

"At the hospital, your doctor told me that Angel became so upset at
seeing you in your condition that he broke off a piece of a door with a
single swipe. He also told me about him tossing one of their staff
almost twenty feet through the air- after he was...attacked by...Xander."

"Point being?"

"I think it's safe to assume that along with the life that your blood
gave Angel, it also fed him your strength and abilities. Of course, he's
not a slayer, and this is all in theory, but still...he'll be human and
still be able to fight without much fear of being hurt. The next few
days will be hard on him...physically and mentally. He's
still...adjusting. But he should be just fine in due time." He moves
over to where his jacket was laying over the sofa, gently lifting it
into his arms. "I, uh...assume you'll be staying the night?"

"Giles...I live here now."

"Oh. Well, I mean...I didn't think you'd...I didn't think he'd still..."
Giles decides to put his ramblings to rest, anxious to return home to
salvage a few hours of sleep from the tiring day. "You'll be alright
with him? Ta- taking care of him, I mean?"

"What do you think?" Turning on her heel without even saying goodbye,
Buffy leaves Giles standing in the hall as she quickly jogs up the
stairs, down the familiar hall to the master bedroom.

His soft breathing was a welcomed new sound escaping the darkness of the
room. Taking a deep sigh, Buffy crosses the floor over to the bed,
sitting down softly beside her sleeping lover. She stands there looking
at him, caught in a trance, almost wishing her body wasn't demanding
sleep just so she could stay awake watching him. She eventually drifts
back to reality, shedding her clothes and reaching into the bureau,
extracting a black silk shirt of Angel's that she'd long since made her own.

Careful not to wake him, she eases under the sheets, maneuvering herself
so that she was curled up against Angel's chest, feeling her own heart
skip a few beats upon hearing his own steady rhythm. She holds him
tightly, her shapely form enveloping him into a warm embrace, clutching
him so fervently that her breasts were flattened out against his chest.
And then, just as her eyelids begin to droop closed, she hears him
faintly murmur her name in his sleep, reaching a hand around to tug at
her waist, pulling her even closer.

"I love you..." she whispers against his skin. Her final thought before
succumbing to sleep rested on the hope that in the morning, he would be
able to offer her his own matching response.
 
Part 14
 
Angel was surprised, though somewhat appreciative, to feel a few
fragments of sunlight dancing across his face the next morning. With a
low moan, laying on his left side, he opens an eye to see that Giles
must've left the curtains open when he'd finished examining him last
night. He lays still for a moment, his eyes trying to fully adjust to a
brightness they hadn't experienced in ages. Rubbing his face with his
bare arm, he finally allows his eyes to travel down the sheets, staring
with surprising slowness at the warm body clinging to his own.

Her arms and legs wrapped around him as if to prevent him from making an
escape, Buffy was resting peacefully in his arms, a small smile across
her lips. Unable to resist the impulse, Angel runs his fingers through
her hair, sighing down at her sleeping form as he wraps his arms around
her and snuggles down into the covers with her. Resting his head ontop
of her own, his lips reach down to press a gentle kiss against her hair.

"Angel...?" Immediately feeling him stir, Buffy's eyes slowly open as
she lifts her head up to face him. "Hi..."

"Hi..." he whispers back, unsure of what to say next.

"What's wrong?" Buffy asks, leaning up on her elbow. Getting no further
response, she tries another approach and leans over to kiss him.

"Don't..." he holds her back at arm's length preventing any embrace. He
sits up, swinging his legs over his side of the bed, turning his back to
her.

"Angel- you're not going to do this," she states, sliding over to him,
wrapping an arm around his bare waist to pull herself completely to him.
"I'm not going to *let* you do this," she says against his back, feeling
him wince in response. "Not after everything that's happened-"

"After everything that's happened..." his voice drops to an almost
inaudible whisper, "...you shouldn't even be around me."

Before she can respond, he turns his head to look back at her, opening
his mouth as if to say something else, but hesitates. "I..."

"You what?"

"I...I'm leaving."

The two words leave Buffy's face numb and pale from shock and she can
barely breathe as she pulls away from him. Forcing herself to take some
sort of control, she moves to sit beside him, grabbing his shoulders,
turning him to her. "What do you mean you're leaving? You're leaving
Sunnydale? You're leaving me?"

"I already did..." Confused by his not uncommon crypticness, she passes
him a teary stare. "Buffy- whatever you saw in me that held any goodness
at all, left me last night-"

"I'm not going to listen to this!" she gasps, standing from the bed to
approach him more forcefully. "You didn't *drink* from me-" she says
sharply, "I *fed* you my blood to save your life...to turn you human..."
her last few words barely escape her sobs as she begins pacing in front
of him. "You're just going to give up? Give up on me...on us? I don't
accept that!"

"You have to. Buffy, what your father said-"

"Was all a lie! Almost everything he's ever told me was a lie and his
little speech earlier was no exception. Can you honestly tell me that
you believe anything he said?"

It was at that moment that Angel's emotions began to waver out of
control. He chokes down the sob that was threatening to escape, shutting
his eyes tightly without answering her.

"Well?" Buffy asks, her tone sharp, teetering between anger and
frustration. Angel finally looks up at her. "You don't deserve this."

"You're right- I don't deserve to constantly be told by just about
everyone, including the man that I love more than life itself, what's
good for me! I don't understand how you can even act like this-"

"Because I'm scared!" he cries angrily, Buffy seeing the tears in the
corners of his eyes. "Because I can't control myself around you, and I
still wonder if I hadn't been sick whether I still would've eventually
drank from you!"

"Angel- you've never hurt me. It's impossible for you to hurt me-"

"You don't know that! I mean- just because I'm human
now...god...sometimes it's so hard to be around you because it's just
too intense, and..." He stops there, not sure of what he saw in her
face. He wasn't sure he wanted to know- but it wiped away any anger he
was feeling. A stricken look replaces it. "I was always afraid when we
were together. Afraid that...that the demon would take over- just like
it did last night."

Buffy takes her seat back beside him, touching her hand lightly to his
shoulder, relieved when he leans slightly into her touch. "I know you. I
know and love every part of you. Even if the prophecy wouldn't have made
you human, I would've let you drain me to save your life."

"But that doesn't change the fact that I-"

"That doesn't change the fact that I knocked you out to *force* you to
live...for me. Angel...if you would've died last night, I wouldn't have
been able to live. This bond between us...I feel everything that you do.
The same fears, the same pain, the same intensity when you and I are
together. And when we're apart...it just hurts so much. It's physically
painful...and regardless of anything else...the only thing in my entire
life that I'll ever be certain of is us. That's the only truth I have to
hold onto."

His resolve broken, his uncertainties beginning to fade, he feels
himself relax in her arms as the slayer pulls him to her tightly. "I
love you..." he whispers against her temple.

"I love you," she locks eyes with him. "Nothing can ever change that,"
she whispers, reaching up to kiss him, deeply and lingeringly. As the
kiss escalates, Angel feels Buffy's arms give his own a slight tug, as
she pulls him back down onto the bed on top of her. Reaching a hand up
behind his head, Buffy breaks their kiss, arching her neck slightly to
give him access to her neck. He buries his nose against the curve of her
throat, his mouth traveling along her skin until he feels his lips brush
over her scar. He flinches away suddenly, his momentary solace quickly
fading.

"Angel..." Buffy tries pulling him to her again, but finds her efforts
being interrupted by the doorbell's chime floating up the stairs.
"Uggh...never fails..."

"I'll get it-"

"Oh no you don't." She crawls out of bed, pushing him back to lay down.
"You're staying right here- we're not done discussing this yet."

Muttering to herself, wondering who could've been paying them a visit so
damn early, the slayer soon finds the answer to be one she wasn't ready
to, nor wanted to deal with.

"Well...if it's not one backstabber, it's another," she observes as she
pulls back the door fully to reveal Cordelia, Willow, Oz, and a
returning Giles staring at her with hopeful gazes.

"We didn't wake you...did we?" Willow meekly speaks up, her eyes
trailing over Buffy's shoulder to catch a glimpse of the inside.

"No- but you just started my day out on a sour note," Buffy snaps back,
anxious to return upstairs. "If you don't mind, we've got a busy day,
and I don't need this right now-"

"But we do," Giles speaks up for the three, stepping past them to
approach his former slayer. "You wouldn't talk to me last night, so I'm
asking you now- give us ten minutes. That's all we ask."

Sensing there was no other way to get them to leave, Buffy steps aside,
letting them into the mansion. She makes a motion for them to have a
seat on the sofa, taking her own spot on the armchair across from them.
"Where's Judas number five?" she asks, her question mostly directed to
Cordelia. "Out having drinks with my father- plotting how to get rid of
Angel?"

"I wouldn't know," the brunette answers her back calmly. "I broke up
with him last night."

"Is this the part where I'm supposed to instantly forgive you because
you've dumped the guy who attacked my boyfriend in the hospital?"

"No..." Cordy shakes her head softly, then looks up directly at Buffy.
"This is the part where you start to realize how sorry we all are and
just how much we care about you. The both of you," she lifts her eyes to
the stairway, wondering to herself how Angel was fairing.

"How is Angel?" Oz breaks his semi-permanent silence, slinging an arm
around Willow's shoulders.

"Getting better." Buffy looks over to the antique clock standing against
the wall. "You're down to eight minutes."

"I don't think we need to tell you just how sorry we are about not
telling you sooner about Angel," Giles says.

"No- cause that would've made sense, and god forbid any of you ever
decide to use your common sense," a still brassed-off Buffy responds.

"We understand how serious the matter was-" Giles tries again, only
further infuriating the young girl whom he respected more than
anyone...the one he'd looked upon as his own daughter.

"You understand nothing. Angel could've died! Do you understand that?!
It's bad enough that my own father could be so cruel, but for all of you
to have done something like this..." Her emotions betray her as her
voice drops to a whisper. "I never would've expected that from any of
you. Not from people who are supposed to be my friends."

"That's our point," Cordy chimes in. "It's because we *are* your
friends, and we care so much about you that we did what we did."

"You call what Xander did being a friend? Attacking Angel? Trying to
tell my father about everything?"

"No- what Xander did was be Xander," the brunette answers.

"In other words," Oz adds, "what he does best. The only thing he knows
how to do without screwing it up."

"What we did- or rather, what we tried to do, was keep you from getting
more upset than was necessary," says Giles. "The last thing any of us
would ever want to do is hurt you, Buffy." He leans forward, trying to
get her to realize the detail she seemed to be overlooking. "You have to
know that- you have to know how much you mean to all of us. How much
love and respect we have for you."

"Buffy," Willow's voice grabs her attention, "we did what we thought was
right. We didn't want to upset you- we only wanted to protect you. Do
what was best for you."

"No one bothered to ask me what was best for me."

"And we can't apologize enough for it," Willow responds. "All we can do
is plead temporary insanity and hope we can find a way to put this
behind us."

Buffy hesitates, mulling over all that had been said, before giving them
any indication of a response. As she stares off towards the doors,
Willow senses her doubts and raises her head, her voice on the verge of
breaking as she makes a final plea. "I don't wanna lose my best friend
because of my own stupidity and carelessness. You're my family, Buffy.
All of us...we're each other's family..."

In all the time they'd been friends, Buffy had never heard Willow speak
so fervently and with such desperation. Leaning forward in her chair,
the delicate features of her face hovering between mixed emotions, Buffy
can't help but let her thoughts drift back to yesterday afternoon, the
words of Willow's speech playing over in her mind. <One thing that I am
sure of is what matters most to me in my life...my friends.> For a
moment, she wonders whether WIllow had written the speech as a
deliberate pre-apology to her.

After all that had passed, all that she knew laid ahead for them, it
wasn't worth losing the rest of her family over. Though Xander had all
but officially been driven out of her heart, she couldn't deny the sense
of peace and trust slowly melting away any remnants of anger and
resentment that had been built up in her since yesterday afternoon.
<Make it a goal to discover what really matters in life.> And at that
moment, what mattered most to her was the family inside the mansion.

A lopsided smile sneaks out from the corners of Buffy's mouth before she
finally gives a response. "Only *temporary* insanity?" Releasing the
breath she'd been holding since arriving on Crawford Street, Willow
rushes over to her, diving on the slayer with a huge hug. "I'm sorry."

"I know, Will," Buffy says, giving her an extra squeeze. Looking over
the redhead's shoulder, she smiles at the others. "You three plan on
joining us here anytime soon?"
 
Part 15
 
Buffy had been looking through her magazine- not reading it but thumbing
idly through it, glancing every now and then at a picture while she
waited for Willow and Cordelia to meet her at the Espresso Pump a week
later. After looking up every so often, she finally spots the redhead
jogging over to her, a huge smile plastered across her face.

"Sorry I'm late," she grins, taking her seat across from her. "I had to
help Oz, uh...find his...guitar pick," she gives her best friend a
playful smile, wondering whether the rest of the Dingos would be upset
seeing her boyfriend stoll into band practice fifteen minutes late.

"Uh-huh...and I'm guessing it was a very thorough search," the slayer
giggles back over to her, setting her magazine off to the side. "Where's
Cordy?"

"Oh...she didn't feel up to coming."

"She's okay, isn't she?"

"Aside from the whole 'breaking up with Xander thing', she's fine. It's
funny- I never thought she cared so much about him." Willow notices that
Buffy wasn't paying much attention to her after hearing Xander's name
pop up and she passes her a lopsided grin. "Has...has Xander...called you?"

Seeing her simply roll her eyes, Willow decides to quickly change
subjects to one she was sure Buffy would enjoy. "Didn't you bring Angel
with you? I mean, seeing as how he's got the whole 'walking in the
sunlight' thingy going on, I would've thought I'd be seeing you two
dancing through the streets by now."

"He's home...working out. I think he said Giles would be coming over to
help him train."

"Didn't you guys all train together last night?"

"And the night before, and the night before that, and the night before
that. It's ridiculous, Will! That's all he does. He wouldn't even come
over to mom's for any of the ten times she's invited us over for a meal.
In the five days he's been human, he's spent exactly one hour outside in
the sun- and even that was spent swimming."

"Oh- that reminds me...you've definitely gotta throw a pool party."
Willow succeeds in gaining a small grin from her friend, but still
senses something else wrong. "I don't get it- why doesn't Angel want to
go out?"

"Well I'd ask him, for the *millionth* time, but all I get for an answer
is 'I'm fine'. Either 'I'm fine' or 'I'm adjusting'. That's about all he
says to me anymore."

There was no question in Buffy's mind that Angel hadn't been the same
since graduation night. Whenever she'd try to get him to finish their
discussion, he'd become distant, shutting himself down to the point
where he'd barely mutter five words to her in a single day. He hadn't
become cold or mean, just distant. He was less interested in going out,
in seeing people, or the sunlight he'd been banished from for so long.
He'd brushed off Joyce's invites to dinner and even declined both her
offer to work at the gallery and Giles' offer to train him as a Watcher.

There was no big personality change in him...but he wasn't the same.
He'd go to bed only after Buffy would, and would always sneak away
downstairs once he'd been sure she was asleep. WIthout his knowing,
Buffy had snuck down after him most times, only to find him sitting on
the floor beside the fireplace, reaching a hand in, allowing his fingers
to trail over the dancing flames for a moment or two.

"Okay- I'm confused...I thought you had talked him out of feeling any
guilt? Are you two fighting?"

"No...I don't know..." Buffy lets out a deep sigh. Leaning her head off
to the side, brushing her forehead with her hand, she makes a final
confession to her best friend. "He won't touch me..."

Buffy looks up to see Willow staring at her with a baffled look. After a
long silence, the wiccan finally barks a bewildered little laugh at the
very notion. "You know, making jokes isn't going to make this easier to
discuss," she smiles, looking at her steadily until finally realizing
the slayer was serious. "Oh...you're not...joking, are you? I'm sorry
Buffy- it's just...you two can't go like, a minute without some sort of
touching involved."

"I think he's touched Giles more during their sparring lessons than he's
touched me all week. Sometimes...sometimes I'll catch him looking at me,
and I'll think for a minute that he looks like he's going to come over
to me, but then he just turns away."

"Have you thought about asking Giles to talk to him? Maybe he'd open up
to someone else. Hey- him and Oz are pretty close. I could tell him to
stop by the mansion after practice if you want."

"Giles tries talking to him everyday when they train, but he just blows
him off too. God...I could just fatally maim my dad and Xander for what
they did!"

"You think that's what's got him?"

"Among his own esteem problems, yeah. I mean, him and Xander were
actually pretty good friends. I think to see him react the way he did
really threw him off. And my dad...what he told him about him being a
danger to me didn't help much. I think I'm ready to take up my mom's
offer to put a hit out on him. Did you know it only costs $400?" In an
instant, Buffy sees Willow pass her a raised eyebrow, unable to contain
her gasp. "What?? Mom knows some guys, that's all!"

"Well...aside from hiring your own private mafia, why don't we try
cheering Angel up in the traditional way. Maybe perk up Cordy too.
Bronze it tonight?"

"If I can get him to go," Buffy shrugs.

"If you can't convince him, we'll just all have to drag him out," the
redhead smiles. "I can be pretty big and mean when I wanna be...until
someone bigger and meaner comes along and tells me to stop."

******

Your construction
Smells of corruption
I manipulate to recreate
This air to ground saga
Gotta launder my karma


With the jagged dance music blaring throughout the Bronze, Angel was
beginning to regret finally giving into Buffy's pleas and pouts to party
with the others tonight. "It's loud..." he casually remarks, falling
behind in his pace alongside her.

"You'll live, trust me," she laughs, grabbing his reluctant hand,
pulling him to her side. "It'll do you good to finally get out."

"Mmm..."

"And..." she pulls him to a stop among the crowd to face him, "maybe
tomorrow morning...we can go out for breakfast?"

"Don't you like to sleep in on weekends?" he responds, going to sit down
at what he recognized as the Scoobs' usual table.

"Okay then- lunch?" Seeing that he was now ignoring her, paying more
attention to the lights beaming down from the ceiling than to her, Buffy
can only roll her eyes, not wanting to make things worse by pushing him.
Taking her own seat beside him, she catches a glimpse of the others
approaching with drinks.

"Angel- you came!" Willow cheers, giving him a friendly pat on the back.

"Hi Willow..." He throws a half-smile to his silent counterpart Oz
before moving his own chair over to make room for them.

"Where's Cordelia?" Buffy asks.

"She's here...she just went to the bathroom," Willow replies.

"Meaning we won't see her for a good hour," Oz adds, hoping to share his
usual chuckle with Angel, but is surprised to barely receive any response.


I'm blown to the maxim
Two hemispheres battlin'
I'm blown to the maxim
Two hemispheres battlin'
Suckin' up, one last breath
Take a drag off of death


"Oh...my...god..."

The four friends turn in their seats at Cordelia's startled gasp,
watching with confused stares as she hurries over to their table,
stumbling to her seat. "I can't believe I wasted two years on that
worthless...no good...I mean- who does he think he is?!"

"I assume you're talking about Xander?" Willow speaks up for the group.

"Who else?! You won't believe who that scumsucker brought here tonight!"
Stretching out an arm to point past them towards the dancefloor, the
hurt brunette draws their attention to the sight of Xander with his arms
all over another familiar brunette.

"Anya!" Buffy almost shouts, though it was barely a hushed cry over the
music and crowd.


Got a revolution behind my eyes
We got to get up and organize
Got a revolution behind my eyes
We got to get up and organize
Got a revolution behind my eyes
We got to get up and organize
You want a revolution behind your eyes
We got to get up and organize


"A demon!" Cordelia turns back around in her seat, resting her elbows on
the table. "He's got his awkward paws all over some demon!!"

"Actually, *ex*-demon," Oz corrects her.

"Whatever! But after everything she did, to *all* of us, he's got the
nerve to be going out with her?!"

"What do you expect?" Buffy replies. "The obnoxious attract the obnoxious."

"Oh- it is *sooo* over now! For a minute, I was considering thinking
about possibly letting him apologize to me...and everyone else, and I
just might've taken him back on his hands and knees, but now- oh...I'm
just beside myself." She hastily tosses her purse onto the table, not
really caring at the moment if it got scratched, and takes a long, deep
breath over the new song that comes on over the speakers.


Now can I make this crystal clear
There's still a world without you here
How can I make this crystal clear?

Now can I make this crystal clear
There's still a world without you here
How can I make this crystal clear?


"If I was a member of his family, I'd need a drink right about now!"

"How about a Coke instead?" Willow offers her.

Trying to take her mind off of the still-sore subject of Xander Harris,
Buffy turns her attentions to her strangely quiet boyfriend. His eyes
were combing over the catwalk above when normally they would've been
combing over her. Reaching over with a tentative hand, her fingers curl
around his wrist as she offers him a warm smile. "You wanna dance?"

"I'm fine..." he whispers back, seeing her face drop even further at his
dismissal.

"Funny..." comes a familiar voice from behind, "...I didn't even know
vampires *could* dance."

Buffy watches with an annoyed glare as Xander makes his way around to
face the group. "You lost, Harris?"


I'm giving you the gift of a second chance
So use it for the first time wisely done
Your way out of the war of words that's raging
All around the globe in conversation
I'm giving the gift of the double bluff
Forever laying lowly high enough
I'm tired of treading cautiously
I'll walk the path prepared for me


"No...just thought I'd check up on how Deadboy here was enoying life,"
he grins, leaning over to whisper into Angel's ear. "How're ya holding
up, big guy?"

"Unless you plan on coughing up some apologies, you can just get out of
here, you little spaz!" Cordelia snaps back.

"Believe me- if any of you are waiting for an apology, you've got
another thing comin'. See, that's the other reason I wanted to come
over...to resign."

"Resign?" Oz speaks up.

"I'm done. I'm through being everyone's whipping boy. I mean, come on-
that's all I ever really was to any of you...the comic relief of the
gang. Buffy's the strong one, along with her little boy-toy over there,"
he tosses a sideways glance to Angel. "Willow's the smart one, Oz is Mr.
Philosophical, and Cordelia...well, I haven't quite figured out what
position you fill besides all-around bitch, but when I do, I'll be sure
to fill you in on it."

Surprising herself, as well as the other Scoobs, Buffy pulls Xander's
arm behind his back, slamming him up against a nearby pillar. "Why don't
you head on back to your demon plaything before I decide to fill you in
on exactly what a slayer can do to someone who pisses her off in
everyway possible?"

"No need for the hostility, Buff." Xander, relieved when she releases
him, passes them all a wicked grin before turning back to find Anya.
"We're still on the same side...I'm just more aware of things than any
of you will ever be."


I'll be giving the gift of great confusion
So make of it what you will it's yours to use
Come show me where my footsteps ought to tread
And fill me with the wise words that you said
I'll be giving the gift of the double bluff
So do whatever you want to do 'til you've done enough
The words you worship died upon
The pages that you wrote them on


"Okay- who thinks he's just replaced Angel as Cryptic Guy?" Cordelia
finally speaks up, in utter shock of Xander's display. "What the hell
was that all about? 'We're still on the same side' ?"

Looking on from his own table, Xander becomes so caught up in observing
their reactions that he almost doesn't hear his newly acquired beeper go
off. Looking down at the number that pops up on the screen, he mutters
something to Anya before grabbing his jacket, dashing off out the back door.
 
Part 16
 
Why can't you see
That everything's broken?
Why does it seem
This life's turned gray?
I can't believe
In anything sacred
When I don't believe
That I am real


Buffy sighs heavily as a sudden rush of emotions fills her head, keeping
her from peaceful sleep. She remembers how hectic the whole day has
been- the encounter with Xander being the latest addition to her
seemingly never-ending list of problems. She groans and rolls over to
look at the time as the red digits on the alarm clock reflect off the
dresser- 2:37 AM; too late for her to just be getting to sleep.
Beginning to stir in bed, she reaches over to grab Angel but finds an
empty space where he should've been laying. "Angel," she calls softly
into the darkness. After about six times, she notices that their door is
cracked open. Having a pretty good idea where she would find him, she
crawls out of bed, making her way downstairs cautiosly.


I need someone to
Break the silence
That's screaming in my head...
...and in my soul


Broken fragments of moonlight dancing across the walls gave life to the
otherwise empty great hall. Surprised to find that Angel hadn't
retreated downstairs as he'd been doing for the past week, Buffy begins
her search through the rest of the mansion. After her last check in
their training room, she realizes her lover had made a stealth departure
into the night without even bothering to tell her. Instinctively, she
grabs the phone, carrying the cordless with her to call Giles. But
before her fingers can finish dialing the familiar number, her ears pick
up on the sound of the front door opening.

"Angel..." she calls out to him as she runs over to him, launching
herself into his arms. By now used to his less than enthusiastic
responses to her lately, she pulls away from him. Slowly, her eyes
travel down the front of his jacket and gray sweater, seeing that the
streaks of blood that had stained the material were now smeared across
her own tank top.

"Where were you? What happened?"

"Patrolling..." he mumbles, trying to move past her but finds himself
being held back.

"We already patrolled tonight. Why did you have to go out again...by
yourself?"

"I couldn't sleep," he tiredly sighs, finally succeeding in getting past
her. He sheds his jacket, tossing it over the back of the sofa as he
takes a seat, holding his head in his hands. Trying to push her anger
aside for the moment, more concerned about whether or not he had been
injured, Buffy sits down beside him. "Are you hurt?"


I am alone
Locked in my memories
There's nowhere left
For me to hide
But I am not real
I've made all I am with lies


Shaking his head softly, he turns to face her. "Aren't you going back to
bed?" Inching over closer to him, she snakes her arm around his waist,
trying to feel for any wounds. Assuring herself that he's okay, she
rests her head against his shoulder. "I'll wait for you."

"I have to get cleaned up..." he responds, moving out of their embrace
to stand.

"Why don't you let me help?" she manages a faint smile, hoping he'd
accept her offer.

"Just go to bed, Buffy."

Blinking back tears, the slayer watches as Angel turns his back to her,
grabbing his jacket, walking over to hang it up by the front door.
"Can't you talk to me?" Buffy finally cries angrily at him. She sees him
immediately tense up at her question, turning back around to cross the
room to approach her. "Angel..." Seeing the look in his eyes as he lifts
his head to face her was only making this harder for her. With a nervous
hand, she begins twirling the claddagh ring that rested on her finger
before mustering the strength to speak again. "Do you still want me?"


Why can't you see
My need for forgiveness?
The truth and the lies
Confused as one
I can't believe
In anything sacred
When I don't believe
In anything


As Angel watches her, he can feel the hurt and fear radiating from her
eyes. Despite his best efforts, he can't bring himself to tell her the
truth- to tell her how desperately he wanted her, how much he adored her
but no longer believed he should be allowed to do so. He'd never meant
to let Buffy conjure up such a ridiculous idea as the one she had just
presented to him, but he was still finding it hard to react in any other
way since drinking from her.

"You asked me to..." Buffy voice waivers, seeing him at a loss as to how
to respond to her. "You asked me to move in, but...but now you
don't...you don't seem like you even want me here."

"You know you're welcome to stay here if you want, Buffy."

"I don't want to live here because *I* want to...I want to live here
because *you* want me to- because *you* want me here."

Seeing him make no move to respond to her in any way, Buffy sits up on
the sofa, folding her legs underneath her as she tries once more.
"Please..." she whispers, tasting a bit of the tear that had fallen to
the corner of her mouth.

"I have to take a shower..." Unable to face her for a second longer,
Angel retreats upstairs leaving Buffy cringing as far into the cushions
of the sofa as they would allow, her bright eyes gleamed over with tears.


I need someone to
Break the silence
That's screaming in my head...
...and in my soul

******

"Oh Buffy..." Willow lets out a deep sigh as she listens to her best
friend confiding to her over the phone the next morning. "He wouldn't
answer you?"

"No...h- he barely even looked at me." She pauses for a moment,
listening to the punches and kicks coming from the training room down
the hall. She'd suspected that Angel had been in there since late last
night. "Will...maybe now that he's human...maybe he doesn't want me
anymore. I mean, maybe he figures that now he can have someone normal
instead of having to deal with me-"

"Buffy, stop. That's crazy," Willow tries comforting her, though not too
sure herself of how to explain Angel's behavior. "That's impossible.
Angel would never do that. You're the only thing in the world to him."


I've heard there was a secret chord
That David played, and it pleased the Lord
But you don't really care for music, do you
It goes like this: the fourth, the fifth
The minor fall, the major lift
The baffled king composing Hallelujah


"Sometimes I wonder, Will. He won't even talk to me-"

"So make him. If you can't reach him one way, find another. Be more
forceful- you can do that. You're really good at that," she smiles into
the phone.

"But-"

"Nope- that's it," Willow silences her. "The next time I talk to you I
wanna hear a full, glowing report about how you and Angel spent the
entire day in bed making up. Except, you know, you don't have to go into
all the lusty details."

"Thanks Willow," Buffy smiles, unable to hold back a small chuckle as
she hangs up the phone.


Your faith was strong but you needed proof
You saw her bathing on the roof
Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you
She tied you to a kitchen chair
She broke your throne, she cut your hair
And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah


Shaking his head trying to remove the sweat from his brow, Angel runs
his hand through his hair roughly, ignoring the twinges of pain as his
muscles stretch, overexerted from his strenuous training. He throws a
few punches and kicks, trying to work out the knotted muscles. Closing
his eyes, he lets his body flow through the routine, just letting his
mind sit and look for flaws in his movements. Finding none, he opens his
eyes during the final killing move, then quickly retracts the punch as
he sees someone's face fill the air that should have been empty. Wincing
as the tightly leashed energy in his muscles protest, he glares at the
young woman in front of him. "Buffy! What the hell do you think you're
doing!?"

Stepping aside, the slayer ties her hair back into a ponytail, moving
towards him again once she readies herself. "Okay- let's go."

"What are you talking about?"

"Come on, tough guy. If you're so into training, let's train." Not
giving him a chance to respond, she throws the first punch, connecting
with his jaw.

"Buffy!" Angel steps away from her, shocked by what she was doing. "What
is this?!"

"Come on-" she delivers a kick to the side of his stomach, "my
grandmother fights better than this! Hell- I think Xander fights better
than this!"


Maybe I've been here before
I know this room, I've walked this floor
I used to live alone before I knew you
I've seen your flag on the marble arch
Love is not a victory march
It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah


After a minute's hesitation, still with no clue as to what was really
happening between them, Angel twists around and lands a high kick to
Buffy's back, knocking her to the ground. He barely has time to gasp at
what he'd just done before the small blonde flips herself back to her
feet, spinning around landing a sharp right cross to Angel's eye.

With a series of punches to him, seeing that he was barely fighting her
back, Buffy gains a bit more confidence in her method. Angel's breathing
was coming in ragged gasps, but he keeps trying to do what was expected
of him, determination etched hard on his face. He was about to raise his
leg to deliver another kick to her when Buffy sees an opening in his
defenses and uses it, knocking his feet out from under him and throwing
him down to the mat.

An awkward silence follows as Buffy scrambles on top of him, stradling
his waist, keeping him pinned to the ground. He begins to struggle
underneath her but finds himself unable to escape her. "Why are you
doing this?!" he demands.

"Because this is the only way you'll talk to me!" she responds,
receiving a confused glare from him. "This is the only way you'll even
touch me!"


There was a time you let me know
What's really going on below
But now you never show it to me, do you
I remember when I moved in you
The holy dark was moving too
And every breath we drew was Hallelujah


Regaining some of his strength, Angel manages to push her off of him,
crawling backwards on his hands, reaching out behind him until he can
feel the wall to brace himself against.

"After what I did?!"

"Uggh! When are you going to realize how much I love you, Angel? When
are you going to be able to understand that I'd die for you in an instant?!"

"How am I supposed to even come near you!" he shouts back to her, now
beginning to finally release his own frustrations. "Why do you think
I've been keeping myself busy doing all of this?! To keep myself from you!"

"Why?!" Buffy cries back, still sitting on the mats herself across from
him. "Why are you even letting this get to you?!"

"It's not just what I did to you, Buffy-"

"Angel, you didn't do anything!"

"And what about before- what about that? All those years...all the lives
I took. And now that I've been given all of this- thanks to feeding from
you," he says, disgusted by his own actions, "I don't know what to do
with it because I don't deserve this! I don't deserve to be human
again..." His voice lowers to a faint whisper as he averts his eyes to
the floor. "...I don't deserve to have you..."


Maybe there's a God above
And all I ever learned from love
Was how to shoot at someone who outdrew you
It's not a cry you can hear at night
It's not somebody who's seen the light
It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah


In an instant, Buffy's at his side, cradling him in her arms, relieved
to find him seeking comfort from her instead of pulling away. "I'm
sorry..." Angel pleads with her, reaching his arms around her, tugging
her close. Buffy rocks his limp form, whispering to him, to herself, for
a few minutes before pulling him fully into her grasp and standing with
him.

"It's okay..." she begins whispering into his ear. "It's
alright...Angel- Angel, look at me." She pulls back, lifting his head up
to fully face her. "You deserve so much more than all of this. I've
never known anyone with such an amazing soul. You are the one absolute
thing in my life- the one thing I will never give up for anything. I
can't...I don't understand anything else but loving you..."

Angel steps forward, tenderly taking her into his embrace, running his
thumb along her jaw. "I love you," he says as he brushes Buffy's hair
behind her ear. "I love you so much."

"I love you," Buffy gently whispers with a seductive smile, pulling him
closer to her as she draws him in for a passionate kiss.
Part 17
 
Buffy curls herself further into Angel's embrace, running a hand through
his hair as she slowly pulls him down ontop of her. She loved the
feeling of his body and it's almost-crushing weight on top of her. It
seemed to give solidity to the moment. Angel cradles the sides of her
face in his hands, his face directly above hers, just looking at her as
if he would never see his fill. He slowly lowers his head to hers, and
softly feathers light kisses across her face. On her eyelids, the tip of
her nose, her forehead, her flushed cheeks, her chin, and finally, he
captures her sigh in his own mouth.

Buffy couldn't imagine ever feeling this sense of overwhelming love with
anyone else. She couldn't imagine living the rest of her life with
anyone other than this one man who had come into her life, first to
protect her, then to love her- utterly and completely. He feels her body
tremble beneath his, and he pulls back and just holds her for a moment.
"Are you okay?"

"Mmm..." comes her only reply, slowly opening her eyes to greet him.

"I'm too heavy," he chuckles, going to move out of their embrace but
finds her arms pulling him back to her.

"Uh-uh..." Her hand slides up and down his back slowly as she stares up
into his eyes, her heart beating so hard in her chest she was sure he
could feel it. She reaches over, lacing her fingers with his, bringing
their interlocked hands to rest between between them against their
hearts, beating in unison underneath their palms. "That feels so good,"
she smiles up at him.

"It's pretty amazing." Lowering his head to her, he buries his nose
against her neck, taking in the intoxicating scent of her soft skin
before reaching her lips again. After a few timely moments, he slowly
breaks the kiss, pulling away from her, drawing an instant moan of
disapproval from her lips. "Apples..."

"Huh?" she stifles a yawn, sitting up with a confused look.

"Do we have any apples?" He slides off to the side of her, running a
hand through his hair as he grabs his sweatpants.

"Yeah...I think..." Buffy crawls over to him, wrapping an arm around his
waist as she rests her head against his back. "Though I would've thought
you'd prefer some double chocolate cookie dough mint ice cream in bed."

"I just realized..." he hops out from underneath the covers, sliding on
his pants before heading for the door, "...I'm starving."

Feeling a bit ignored, though too happy and tired to give it a second
thought, Buffy pulls on one of Angel's shirts, quickly following him
downstairs to the kitchen. "Well- considering the fact that you kinda
have to eat now, I'd say that you barely eating anything for the past
week might have something to do with that. Plus, the fact that it's
almost six and we've spent the majority of our day making up for lost
time probably hasn't helped your stomach much." She hops up onto the
counter, watching as he pulls open the fridge door. "But why apples?"

"I don't know..." he smiles, offering her the shiny red fruit he'd just
taken a bite out of. "I've always loved apples...ever since I was a
kid...I used to pick them with my mother..." Buffy sees his face start
to show signs of shifting into brood-mode and she reaches over, tugging
him by the shoulder into a deep kiss.

As their kissing continues, they're soon interrupted by the sharp
ringing of the phone. "It never fails," Buffy complains, leaning over on
the counter to answer it. "I swear, one week we're disconnecting this
thing. Hello?"

"Hi sweetheart."

"Mom- hi!" Angel smiles to himself as he sees Buffy's face light up at
the sound of Joyce's voice. "What's up?"

"Just wanted to see how things were going. I'm guessing pretty well?"
she smiles to herself, happy to hear her daughter in a much better mood
from the last time they'd talked.

"Mmm...wonderful...couldn't be better, mom."

"Well, if you two haven't eaten yet, maybe you'd like to come by for
dinner? Then you can fill me in on just how *wonderful* things are."

"Dinner? Great...we haven't eaten yet," she throws a glance to Angel,
giggling softly as he places a kiss to her forehead. "We'll be around in
a little bit."

"Oh- why don't you invite the others? It'd be nice to spend some time
with you kids before you all go running off to college."

"Right mom- like we're all so anxious to start classes in the fall. In
fact, Willow's already camping outside the front of UC Sunnydale.
Actually, in her case, that may actually be true."

"Well we'll ask her tonight. I'll see you guys in a little bit, hmm?"

"Great. Bye mom." Setting the phone back down, she turns to look for
Angel, finding him rummaging through the cabinets, pulling out a jar of
chunky peanut butter. "Angel- mom just invited us to dinner, so stop
scarfing down everything in sight."

"I'm starving," he pleads, reaching over to grab a few chocolate bars.
Buffy can't supress a laugh at the sight of him and scoots over to join
him. "Uggh...well at least share with me!"

******

"Psychology?" Buffy passes her best friend an incredulous look from
across the dining room table. "What makes you think I'd be any good at
that?"

"Well...you're good at reading people," Willow smiles. "I think you'd
really get interested in it."

"But they do all those weird experiments- depriving people of sleep, and
inecting them with a bunch of drugs, and electroshock therapy,
and...wait- remind me again why I'm against this?"

Joyce wraps an arm around her daughter, pulling her into a small hug.
"I'm sure whatever you decide to go into you'll be great at. You all
will," she beams towards the rest of them. "Do any of you have any idea
what you'd like to study yet?"

"I for one am going into the arts," Cordelia proudly declares.

"What a surprise," Willow mumbles, sharing a small laugh with Oz.

"You wait- when I'm rich and famous and finally able to break away from
all of the stress of living on a hellmouth, I'll be making acceptance
speeches for my numerous awards *without* mentioning any of your names."

"We should be so lucky..." Oz muses in typical fashion. "I'll stick with
the old standby known as history. I'm hoping it'll give a nice balance
to all of Will's forays into science."

"Speaking of which," Buffy jumps in, "have you decided between chemistry
and biology yet?"

"I'm still not sure," the redhead pouts. "I'll probably wind up double
majoring. Ooo- but I wanted to do something with medieval literature too-"

"Oh please- you'll probably wind up majoring in everything!" Cordy
snaps. "God- don't you ever get tired of being an overachiever and
making all of us look like a bunch of lazy toads?"

"Speak for yourself, toadie," Buffy laughs back at Queen C. "Ya know,
maybe I'll give psych a go. What do you think?" she turns to her left,
seeking Angel's assured support.

"I think you'd be great at it," he leans over to give her a gentle kiss
on the cheek.

"So Angel," Joyce draws his attention, "now that you're...human..." the
joyous mother still has trouble believing the wonderful miracle that had
been brought forth, "...what do you plan on doing? Taking classes with
everyone else?"

"I can't see that happening, Joyce," he smiles over to her. "I'm not
really sure. I can still fight and slay with Buffy, but other than
that...I don't know what I'm supposed to do now."

"You know...my offer's still open to come work at the gallery. We could
really use you."

"Thanks, Joyce," Angel passes her his trademark half-smile. "I really
appreciate that. It's not money that I'm worried about...I just won't
know what to do during the day while Buffy's in classes."

"So you came into some money from your family?" Joyce guesses at his
last remark, hoping she wouldn't offend him.

"Not quite...the years I spent...throughout Europe...I...attainted a lot
of finances from...people..."

Hearing his somber tone at thoughts of the years his now-vanquished
demon had spent killing and plundering, Cordy takes it upon herself to
lighten everyone's mood. "So you're rich? Well this is just my luck, and
irony in the worst way. The week after I become single *you* become
human and to top it all off, you're rolling in cash. But of course, I'll
never get the chance to enjoy either one of these things because little
miss slayer over there already has you wrapped around her finger."

Queen C throws a glance across her plate to the small blonde whose head
was resting peacefully against Angel's shoulder. "You so totally suck!"

******

You are free to change your mind
Any place or time
You are free to change your mind
Any place or time


The night was charged with electricity. As thunder begins to roll,
lightning flashes across the sky, throwing streaks of energy into the
atmosphere. Before midnight, the heavens finally open up to pour upon
the city. The rain falls hard and cold, and late-night revelers run for
cover from the pounding, stinging drops.

Along the sidewalk of Revello Drive, however, a solitary figure stands
silent and still. Rain beads off of the hooded jacket covering his
camouflaged gear, puddling beneath him. After observing the sight before
him for awhile, somewhat sickened by the sight he'd seen inside the
cheerful house, the figure makes his departure, headed back down along
the street, already pulling out his cell phone to let headquarters know
he would be in shortly.


Burning down the riverbank
Deliver us deliverance
Deliberation of the people
Is irrelevance
The liberation of the mind and the body comes first
For a change in the politic of politics


 From across the street, another figure stands, making his own careful
observations of both the inhabitants of the house, as well as the figure
who'd just made his own stealth departure. Watching the figure fully
disappear down the street, the new stranger makes a slow approach to the
Summers' home. Peering in a bit through the window, though staying out
of clear sight, he watches as Angel reaches over, stealing a kiss from a
more than willing Buffy. "That's him?" the dark-haired stranger asks
aloud, a heavy Irish accent and more than a hint of alcohol lacing his
words. "That's who Whistler wants me to help? This oughta be fun..."

Several miles away, in a secluded sub-basement laboratory, a middle-aged
woman looks up from her desk when an associate gently knocks at the
door. "Come in."

Graham Miller enters the room and, seeing beads of sweat flowing down
her forehead as she continues toiling on an awkward-looking piece of
machinery before her, he makes his apologies for the interruption. "I'm
sorry to bother you, but you told me to let you know when-"

"He's back?" she looks up fully, a hopeful glint in her eye.

"Yes ma'am."


Enough for one, enough for two
Enough already son
I've come to tell you that
The future is undone


Quickly following after Graham, the woman makes her way out to the foyer
to greet her returning squad leader. "Agent Finn...welcome back."

A not-so-alluring 21 year old, with dirty-blonde hair dangling in
awkward pieces over his forehead, Riley Finn shrugs off his gear as he
moves to stand before Maggie Walsh. "It's good to be back after two weeks."

"Job well done, Riley," Walsh congratulates her prized member of the
Initiative. "Have they all been recovered?"

"All present and accounted for. Ready for demobilizing and rehabilitation."

"Excellent." Walsh makes a motion of her hand towards Graham. "Get a
team on this right away. Oh- and now that Agent Finn's back, I want him
to meet-"

"I know, ma'am. He's been waiting here for the past hour. I'll bring him
over."


You are free to change your mind
Any place or time
You are free to change your mind
Any place or time


Riley follows Walsh into her office, intrigued by his mentor's mention
of his being introduced to someone. "Meet?"

"We've acquired a few new recruits while you were on assignment. One in
particular has been quite impressive. Not since you first joined us have
I seen a young man so eager. I've decided to place him in your squad,
and...oh-" Walsh looks past Riley at the sound of her latest addition to
the Initiative entering her room. "Here he is now. This is Agent Finn,"
she introduces her prodigy first, not masking the extreme pride in her
voice.

"Glad to have you aboard," Riley extends his arm, grabbing his new squad
member's hand in a firm grip. "Professor Walsh tells me you're going to
be quite an asset to us...eager to help in the Initiative's fight
against some of curses of humanity."

With a sly smile crossing his face, almost twisting his normally
cheerful and upbeat features unrecognizable, Xander Harris offers his
unyielding reply. "Oh...you wouldn't believe..."


Enough for one, enough for two
Enough already son
I've come to tell you that
The future is undone...

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