<font face="Arial"><center><b>Secrets and Friends: Part Eight</b></center><br><center>by <a href="http://www.slayerfanfic.com/The%20Slayer%5C%5C%5C%5C%5C%5C%5C%5C's%20FanFic%20Archive%20-%20http:/www.slayerfanfic.com/viewuser.php?uid=1037">BuffAngel</a></center><br>Disclaimer: I do not own any of the BtVS or Dawson’s Creek characters, or anything related to these shows. Don’t sue! I’m just an 18 y/o girl...all you’d get out of me is my collection of BtVS stuff....no harm intended... <br />
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Author’s Note: I would like to express a very special Thank You to Melinda S. Dawney. She is the writer of the greatest fanfic I’ve ever read, called: Friendship. She’s the reason that I decided to give the fic a try. Thank you Melinda for all the help with the story. Without it, there’s no telling how the story would have turned out sounding. You’re the best!! <br />
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2nd Author’s Note: Okay, in my opinion, the “happiness” curse thing doesn’t make sense. The way I look at it, I don’t think it’s still there, because when the spell was cast, it wasn’t like they counted on Angel getting his soul back once it was lost because of the one true moment of happiness. So I decided that it wasn’t going to work that way in my world and that the curse wouldn’t be there! Happy Reading!! <br />
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Part Eight<br />
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In the morning when Buffy woke up, she was sad, but not surprised to find that Angel had left sometime before dawn to be able to get back to the mansion before sun-up. Slowly she got up out of bed, picked out what she was going to wear that day and as she went to get in the shower, she looked at the clock realizing that she had twenty minutes to get ready and get to school just before the bell would ring. She’d never gotten ready so fast in her life. By the time she got to school she had five minutes to spare before classes started and decided on going to class anyway instead of running the risk of bumping into her friends and having to answer question after question. All day she avoided her friends and just before 7th period decided that if she stayed through study hall, she would have no way of getting around Giles, so she left. <br />
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She had decided to just go up to the mansion to check on Angel. Skipping classes had become a regular thing for the Slayer here recently, which was probably why she was so behind and required tutoring help from her best friend. She didn’t think about much during her walk from school . When she finally got to the mansion, Buffy went right in, just as she did at her own house. After some unnecessary looking around, she found Angel asleep in his room. She decided against waking him and sat there on the floor leaning on the bed, just watching him sleep. She noticed, thankfully, that his sleep was much less fitful. Much less than it had been at first. He seemed, not, to be sleeping soundly. A small smile crept on his face...at first she was afraid she had awaken him but realized he must be dreaming. Something good she was sure. <br />
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She hadn’t been paying attention to just how long she had been sitting there, so when she looked at her watch she realized it was almost 5:30. Angel would be waking up soon so she thought she’d go downstairs and sit by the fire for a while until he got up. While she was sitting there she was thinking about alot of things. The first thing to cross her mind was what she was going to tell her mom...But when she called, she found out that her mother was still at the Gallery and would probably be working really late, which Buffy wasn’t complaining because it worked out just fine for her too and she wouldn’t have to make up another long drawn out explanation as to why she hadn’t come straight home after school. <br />
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Suddenly, her thoughts were interrupted by a loud noise that came from upstairs. Slowly she got up, creeping up the staircase as gently as possible. She wasn’t sure of the exact location of the loud thump, but figured she’d better check Angel’s room first. And when she walked up to the door and looked in...she saw Angel sitting on the floor next to the bed rubbing the back of his head. “Angel, what happened?” The Slayer asked. “Are you okay?” He just looked at her for a minute then erupted into laughter. <br />
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“Well,” he tried to explain. “I don’t know really. One minute I was sleeping and the next minute I’m sitting in the floor rubbing my head.” He was still laughing, but she didn’t understand and had a confused look on her face. Angel noticed this...”Well, I’m thinking....” He looked around and back up at the bed. “I’m thinking that, while I was sleeping....I rolled off of the bed and hit my head on the floor.” He finished. And when he did...half smiling and half concerned she knelt down next to him and hugged him, lightly touching the back of his head. <br />
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“Omigod, are you sure you’re okay?!! I’m sorry, I’m not trying to laugh, it’s just...you rolled off the bed!??” Although he hadn’t thought about it before, he was curious now. <br />
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“What are you doing here any.....nevermind, I mean, that didn’t come out right. Let me rephrase that. How long have you been here?” <br />
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“Well, lemme think...I left school after 6th, walked up here and I’ve been here ever since.” Buffy answered. <br />
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“You’re serious...you’ve been here that long? That’s like four and a half hours. Why didn’t you wake me up or something?” Angel asked. <br />
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“I was enjoying watching you sleep...you look so cute while you’re asleep. Ten times better when you’re awake, but cute when you sleep.” She answered. He watched her for a moment then spoke again... <br />
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”You should see you while you’re asleep. You’re not that bad yourself.” He said smiling. <br />
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“Oh really....” She said, scooting over until their faces were just inches apart. “And just how would you know that mister? Huh?” She said teasingly while she looked him in the eyes. <br />
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“I’ve spent many nights just watching you sleep. It’s something I could do forever. You always look so peaceful when you sleep. No worries...” He trailed off....slowly, brushing his hand down her cheek, cupping her chin. “....nothing at all, but the tiny smile you always seem to have while you’re asleep...” he leaned in and closed the gap, kissing her before she had the chance to speak. It didn’t last very long. They were interrupted by the sound of Angel’s alarm clock going off. Evidently he had set it for 6:00 so he would have time to get up, clean up and go get Buffy before they had to be at the library. Now all he had to do was get ready. <br />
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They sat there leaned against the bed for the next thirty minutes just laughing and talking about different things. Eventually he had to get up and get dressed. It didn’t take him long to pick out the usual....black leather pants, while long sleeve button up dress shirt and the black duster. Buffy thought, it didn’t matter what he wore, he looked good. It had only taken him ten minutes to get the outfit picked out, put on, and fix his hair. There wasn’t much he could do with it. It’s not like he could see it anyway. He hadn’t been able to see his reflection for years now. When he’d first become a vampire, it had been an annoyance to him because he would find himself glancing into mirrors, forgetting that it did him no good. Sometimes it upset him, but mostly he got annoyed. <br />
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