‘I almost forgot what it was like to touch you,’ Angel murmured huskily. For years, days, hours, he had been wondering what it would be like to hold her in his arms, to feel those luscious lips on his, to taste the sweetness he remembered from so long ago. And now, she was here. And it was happening.
‘Angel....We have to stop..the curse...They..’ Buffy made a brief reference to the undoubtedly angry and confused people on the other side of the door, but her eyes contradicted her protest. As did the tiny little sighs she emitted as his hands reacquainted themselves with her body.
She pulled him closer, smoothing the ruffled hairs on the back of his neck, massaging the muscles in his shoulders and arms.. He moaned deep in his throat.. Years ago he had kissed an innocent girl. Now she was a experienced woman who knew what she wanted, and it showed in her every move as her tongue boldly invaded his mouth. It had been a long time since he’d been this close to her, and his body begged him to take what she so willingly offered. It was one of those things he’d always loved about Buffy, that she gave him her heart and soul when she was in his arms.
‘Angel...Down boy.’ Buffy panted and tried desperately to push him away.
‘What?’ he growled, once she’d successfully pried her lips from his.
She glared at him. ‘Stop it. Don’t you remember that there are our friends and several council members that will probably shoot you on the spot as soon as we open that door??’
Angel appeared pained and immediately stepped away from her. ‘Angel.’ Buffy grabbed the lapel of his expensive Italian shirt and yanked him to her for a fierce kiss. He growled and deepened it before she could pull away..
‘Mmmm-kay,’ they clingingly pulled away from each other, breathing hard.’We have to concentrate!!’ Buffy said loudly and he nodded in agreement. ‘Ok, plan. I go first, and shield you from the crossbows. Then somehow we’ll explain what’s going on.’
*****
‘What - wh, has why-uh...’ Quentin Travers stuttered.
‘Don’t over-react, now.’ Giles said cautiously.
‘Yeah, its not like they haven’t kissed before or done a LOT more that kissing.’ Cordelia put in. They glared at her.
Quentin looked like he was about to kill something and continued to mutter under his breath. Every once and awhile they could catch a few key words, ‘slayer....in arms of vampire....irresponsible.......dangerous....foolish..............no respect for rules.........’
‘Mr. Travers, shall we dispose of him?’ asked a stiff looking wannabe watcher, as he fingered a stake in his inner jacket pocket. Cordelia made a highly offended noise and Gunn moved forward as if to strike him. But Wesley gently intercepted him, glancing cautiously at his former employers.
Cordelia looked at him incredulously. ‘You’re kidding, right? Did you here what he just said? They act like he’s a thing. A disease.’ She turned to the council members and crossed her arms over her chest. ‘He may be a vampire. But he has a soul. Isn’t that what makes us human? Caring.’ She let out a short humorless laugh. ‘Oh sorry. You don’t know what that means. I forgot.’ Tugging her white wrap more tightly around her shoulders, she moved to stand closer to Gunn and he comfortingly wrapped his arm around her in support.
‘Miss Chase. I believe that’s your name? I-‘ Travers started heatedly.. He was interrupted by a door slowly opening.
********
*Here goes nothing.* Angel held an unnecessary breath as Buffy hesitantly opened the door. She squeezed his hand reassuringly and dawned something similar to Willow’s ‘Resolve Face.’
Silence reigned over the small group of people, over the continuous hum of voices in the background. The employees of Angel Investigations held their breath, while the stuffy British men stood stone still waiting for some kind of explanation.
‘So,’ Buffy began nervously. Unfortunately, she promptly lost her nerve. ‘So, how’s that demon upbringing comin’?’ Giles closed his eyes and Quentin’s seemed to shoot daggers toward her.
To the strangers around them, Buffy and Angel looked like the perfect couple. Buffy, blonde, with a small compact body perfectly complimented Angel, tall, dark and handsome. Yet the council members saw a rebellious beauty determined to break every single rule and a dangerous beast making a fool of them.
Quentin began quietly with barely controlled anger, ‘Please tell me he forced you, threatened you, something!’
Buffy felt Angel stiffen beside her and her expression darkened. ‘Please tell ME, YOU didn’t say that.’ She went on and her voice trembled with repressed frustration. ‘He’s not a monster.’
‘Buffy.’ Angel murmured warningly.
‘He’s not a monster,’ he repeated with scarcely suppressed rage. ‘You of all people should know what he is. Don’t tell me you didn’t research Angelus when you found out who he was?’ Don’t tell me you don’t remember what he DID to you when he reverted to his evil ways?’
Buffy did remember. And she remembered going through the Watcher’s diaries, reading account after account of the torture, rape, and murder that people suffered at the hands of a gleeful Angelus. She recalled every excruciating detail and how he reveled in every act of pain he inflicted.
‘I know what he did. How dare you?? You have no right to be angry!! Did you not just say that he did it to ME.. I know. Because he did it to me.’ Buffy sadly recalled that moment on the hilltop, when Angel was convinced the only thing to do was to end his miserable existence.. That it was all about him, and she couldn’t understand.. Until she’d angrily pointed out that he’d done those things to her.
The council members seemed to be at a loss for words, not being able to come up with anything that would counter that. Angel shifted uncomfortably at Buffy’s side. This was not how he had expected to spend his evening... He hated to be talked about as if he wasn’t even there, but he began to realize it wasn’t just about him, but also about the raging war between Buffy and the Council. So he decided to keep quiet, and that would probably prevent him from being skinned alive by Buffy, so it worked both ways.
‘Don’t try to contact us again. And you can be sure we’ll do the same.’ Buffy threatened quietly as she motioned to herself and Giles. She gazed at Angel, and then said ‘huh?’
‘What?’ Angel asked, confused. Buffy grabbed his wrist and stared at his watch. ‘Its one one fifteen!’ She turned accusingly to Travers, I thought this hellbeast was supposed to rise a 12: 45, at least according to you.’
Mr. Travers only frowned.
‘There is none is there.’ Buffy stated crossing her arms. ‘You people are even MORE screwed up then I thought you were!!’
‘You are our instrument against evil. It is important we have contact with you...unfortunately.’ He added under his breath.
‘We’re going.’ Buffy said quietly, her eyes still glued to him. The next time you come near us, it won’t be a vampire on the stake.’
She elegantly glided toward the door with her friends at her heels. She stepped outside into the cool night air. The stars glittered in the inky sky as she stared up at them. She wrapped her white shawl over her bare shoulders more tightly and leaned against the side of the building.
Angel motioned for the others to give him a minute and slowly walked forward to stand beside Buffy.
He stood quietly besdie her, waiting for her to speak, somehow just knowing, she needed space, time. Buffy’s bottom lip tightened, but he could see the irresistible little pout struggling to emerge.
Buffy leaned against him, pressing her soft body into his hardness – her fire to his ice. His touch made her feel so safe, so secure. It was like she could trust him to take care of her, to not let fears get anywhere near her. Which was kind of ironic, after all they’d been through. She sighed and wrapped her arms more tightly around his waist, burying her face into the soft material of his shirt.
‘Every time...Every time I think I’m getting somewhere with them, it blows up in my face. They came to me, in Sunnydale, asking for help - although they would never use that word - “in need of assistance.’ No threats at all, just a request. We were very impressed.’ Buffy looked up at him with wry smile.
‘I don’t know. I guess I was just relieved. No council on my back, trying to make me follow orders or, well, trying to kill me.’ She shook her head with a little laugh. ‘I don’t know why I’m getting so worked up about this. I mean what else can you expect? Vampire and Slayer.’ She gazed into his broody eyes and felt as if they were probing into the very depths of her soul.
‘No matter how much you wish it not true, Buffy.’ Angel began, ‘The council is a huge part of your life. Your very calling is what they’re here for. You.’
Her eyes flashed with a fire that threatened to scorch him. He knew she wanted to retort, but it would be of no use. She relented, ‘Destiny sucks.’
He tilted her chin up with a finger.
‘Not always.’ Angel slanted his lips to cover hers.
She gave herself the moment, reveling in the softness of his lips, the sweet smell of his shampoo teasing her nose.
But nothing can have a happy ending so easily. And *come on* we’re talking about Buffy and Angel here.
To Angel’s dismay, Buffy broke of the kiss to early for his liking. ‘There’s still an issue we have to talk about. An issue we’ve been avoiding.’ Brows touching, she gazed into his tortured eyes.
Angel agreed seriously and stepped away from her alluring figure. “We’ve been evading it. The curse.’
‘Even when we’re not together, its complicated. When we’re together, it’s complicated times a hundred. Wow. I just keep talking, don’t I?’
Angel only smiled gently. He knew she tended to babble when she was nervous and didn’t know exactly what to say. Oddly, the normalcy of it comforted him.
‘We’ll figure something out.’ Buffy murmured, pressing her warm cheek to his shoulder. ‘Look for a spell. And even if we don’t find one, my witching Willow has started writing her very own spells. It may take her a while to get it right, but she’ll figure it out-she always does.’
Angel, always amazed at Buffy’s enormous faith and trust in her friends, smiled sadly. ‘Don’t get your hopes up.’ He wouldn’t dare wish it be true, or even hope, because he had finally found his happiness there with her and when he’s happy, it’s a setup for disaster.
'Angel, live in the now for once! Dream, hope, or you’ll have nothing to keep you going.’
With a little sigh he admitted, ‘I hate it when you’re right.’
She absolutely beamed. ‘I love it when I’m right!’
‘You’re still the one that always puts everything in the perfect perspective.’
It was time, he realized, to leave the past behind.
******
Looks like we made it
Look how far we've come my baby
We mighta took the long way
We knew we'd get there someday
They said, "I bet they'll never make it"
But just look at us holding on
We're still together still going strong
(You're still the one)
You're still the one I run to
The one that I belong to
You're still the one I want for life
(You're still the one)
You're still the one that I love
The only one I dream of
You're still the one I kiss good night
Ain't nothin' better
We beat the odds together
I'm glad we didn't listen
Look at what we would be missin'
They said, "I bet they'll never make it"
But just look at us holding on
We're still together still going strong
(You're still the one)
You're still the one I run to
The one that I belong to
You're still the one I want for life
(You're still the one)
You're still the one that I love
The only one I dream of
You're still the one I kiss good night
(You're still the one)
You're still the one I run to
The one that I belong to
You're still the one I want for life
(You're still the one)
You're still the one that I love
The only one I dream of
You're still the one I kiss good night
****
‘Looks like they’re gonna have a happily ever after, after all.’ Cordelia remarked with a smile. ‘This is just *great.* Now he’s going to move back to Sunnydale and forget all about us. The people that were there for *him.*!’
Standing in the moonlit doorway, Giles, Wesley, and even Gunn looked at her in amazement. ‘How can you make even this, this happiest day of their lives, about you?’
‘It’s a gift. Comes with the *mind-numbing* visions. I get stuck with that *guilt* because *he* won’t be here to stop the gooey *murderous* demons!! He is SO selfish! Nobody ever thinks about how things affect ME. It’s all them, them, them...’
She continued on with her ranting while Wesley gently guided her out of the extravagant mansion towards his car, with the others trailing behind..
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