Feedback: You better. *shakes fist*: slayage@hotmail.com

Disclaimer: Not mine

Rating: PG-13

Spoilers: I dunno, everything? Maybe about three years after season 7. *shrug*

Summary: My first ëfluffyí fic. Kinda plotless. Everyone keeps telling me Iím too damn angsty, so...I gave it a shot, all right? If it sucks, itís your fault, not mine. You shouldnít be messing with the laws of nature. Just read the story.

 

How did I get so lucky?

She placed her hand on his chest as he lay sleeping beside her, felt the soft pounding beneath her palm. It was amazing. Buffy had never dreamed in a million years that they would actually find their way back to each other again. Well, okay, she had dreamed, but she never for a moment thought...

Angel shifted slightly against her, perhaps sensing her studying him so closely. She did that a lot since their reunion. She would spend her waking hours beside him, intently listening to his heart beating, staring into those dark brown eyes of his and just...getting lost. He had once asked her why, even after all this time, she was so attentive.

"Because Iím not going to take a moment with you forgranted," she had said. "Not ever again." Angel had smiled at that, and replied simply, "You never did."

They both knew, for a fact, that that was true. Never once in their time together did she not devote her full attention to him. Not once did she neglect to show him how much she cared. That was what he loved most about her. The way she accepted him with open arms, no matter what he was, no matter what he had done. He was grateful to her for that. Because those open arms had saved his soul, of that he was sure.

Snapping out of his reverie, he slowly placed his hand over hers, and twined their fingers tightly together.

"Sorry," Buffy whispered. "I didnít mean to wake you." She kissed his chest ever so softly with her magical lips.

"Yes, you did," he replied teasingly, now playing with a soft lock of her golden hair with his other hand. "Thatís your favorite part of the morning," he continued with a soft chuckle.

"Thatís true, yes. I just canít seem to keep my hands off of you," she played along with a smile, as she turned over slightly, placed her chin on his chest, and stared at him intently. She was silent for a long moment, and Angel was about to ask if everything was okay, but she spoke before he had the chance.

"God, I love you," she stated, a sort of desperation and longing in her voice. Not that there wasnít a way to get rid of that longingÖ

I guess weíre just so used to being screwed over in the romance department,

Buffy thought.

Angel smiled softly at her declaration of love. Of course, it was a declaration she made sure to declare on a regular basis. Not that he minded...

"I love you," he whispered back. "Youíd think after three years weíd get tired of this mushy stuff, but...I never do."

"Liar," Buffy chastised with a grin.

"No, really. I mean it. Watch this." He moved his lips closer and closer to hers, and she closed her eyes and inched closer as well. When his warm lips sealed over hers, Buffy felt that same unbelievable wave of heat and passion she felt every time he touched her. When the kiss ended, she let out a sigh of contentment, her eyes remaining closed.

"Yummy," she said with a giggle. She then put her head back on his chest and snuggled closer to him. The sunlight shining through their bedroom window splashed over their entwined bodies, and she was in awe each morning she witnessed it. It may sound corny to some people, she thought, but if they went through what Angel and I went through...theyíd get it. Theyíd totally get it.

"I was just thinking, about how lucky we are. How lucky we are that we found each other again."

"Did you ever doubt it?" Angel said with a soft, lopsided grin as he gently caressed her smooth, velvety back.

"Yes." That one word wiped the smile off of his face, and he gave her a little squeeze, pressing his lips softly against her forehead. She was getting serious. Thatís definitely not a good sign.

"Iím sorry," he said finally. "Iím sorry that I made you doubt, doubt that Iíd come back to you. I guess..." he paused for a moment. "I guess I wasnít exactly going to bet my soul on those odds either, way back when." He thought for a moment. "You didnít...I mean...you never doubted how I felt about you, did you?"

"Honestly?" She felt him nod against forehead. "Yeah. I did doubt. Quite often." Angel felt his good mood slowly going downhill, as the faintest trace of tears formed in his eyes at the memory of all he had caused his beloved over the past several years. "I donít mean to make you feel bad," Buffy said, perhaps sensing that she was placing unnecessary guilt on him. "Itís just, you know, when your first love leaves you, you tend to feel some...uncertainty, about how he feels about you." She lightly traced the muscles of his chest with her fingernails as she spoke.

"I never stopped loving you, not for a second," he said firmly. "I thought you knew that," he said, his voice hushed, almost painful. "I just assumed youíd always know."

"Itís okay, sweetie," she said softly. "I know now. I know how you feel about me." She brought his hand to her lips and kissed the back of it.

"You have no idea how much you mean to me, Buffy."

"I do Angel. I know because thatís how much you mean to me. Now letís just drop it. I love you, and you love me." Buffy frowns. "Ugh, I sound like a big, purple dinosaur." She shook her head softly. "Anyway, this topic is getting kinda angsty, so letís just stick to happy thoughts, kay?" she asked sweetly, convincingly.

"Okay," he said after a moment of deliberation.

"All that matters now is that we made it. After all weíve been through, after all the heartache, all the death...we can finally be happy. We can finally really belong to each other, not to the world." Buffy stretched her arm around his waist and held him even tighter, perhaps painful memories of long ago days suddenly becoming enough to overwhelm her. "Finally," she distantly finished a moment later, closing her eyes once more, the comfort and safety of Angelís arms enough to lull her back to sleep.

As Buffy drifted back off to dreamworld, Angel lay with his eyes wide open, his arms securely around his beloved. He really thought about what she had said just a minute ago. And he knew she was right. She was always right. They *had* made it.

Finally.

FINIS