--I've got the strength to move but why should I?--

Buffy lounged on the couch, watching sitcom reruns on
Nick at Nite and absentmindedly stroking Leia's fur.
She was starting to doze off when the phone rang,
jolting her awake.  She reached over her head and grab
the cordless, clicking it on.

"'Lo?"

"Hey, Buffy!"

"Hey Wil!  What's up?"

"Not much, school is hectic but it's the weekend now
so it's all good.  What are you doing home on a Friday
night?"

"Nothing much.  Just watching some tv."

"Oh."

"Oh what?"

"It's nothing."

"Nuh-uh Wil, we may be miles apart but I'm still your
best friend and I know your something-oh from your
nothing-oh and that was a something-oh."

"It's just Giles mentioned something awhile ago about
how you don't really go out that much and how you
weren't making that many friends.  And now you're
sitting home alone on a Friday night."

"I'm not alone.  Leia's here!"

"And that in no way convinces me that you won't become
the crazy cat lady in the neighborhood."

"What are you saying?"

"Well, I wouldn't exactly use the word antisocial..."

"I'm not antisocial," Buffy said indignantly, "I just
don't like people."

"Buffy," Willow scolded gently.

"Oh come on Willow, I'm the Slayer.  I'm not supposed
to have friends in the first place.  I was lucky
enough to find you guys, what are the chances that
I'll find another group of friends who are
understanding about it?  And it's too much work to try
and hide it.  Besides, it's not like I'm unhappy."
*Completely* she added in her head.

"Fine, we just worry about you sometimes."

"Wil, I'm okay.  Really.  So what's up with you?"

"Nothing really, I was just calling to talk to Giles
for some spell advice.  Is he there?"

"No actually, he's not.  Ya wanna know something?  I
think he's got a girlfriend.  He's been out almost
every night for the past two weeks."

"Really?"

"I know, it's kind of sweet, but ya know kinda creepy
cause he's like my dad."

"I know, let's not discuss."

"Ok, I'll let you go.  Say hi to Tara for me."

"Ok.  Tell Giles I called and I'll call back
tomorrow."

"Bye."  Buffy hung up the phone.  *Antisocial, my ass.
 I'm just as social as the next person.*  She curled
back down on the couch, enjoying the company of the
television and her cat.  When Giles came home a few
hours later, he found her asleep.  Quietly, he pulled
the afghan over her and kissing her forehead before
going to his own room.


*****

--So it goes. So far like taking flight
Near perfect, it feels like, spoon fed, it's like
bliss.--

"Have you ever had a strawberry before?" Buffy asked
Angel, scooting closer to him.

"Not that I can remember," he replied.  She held out
the red fruit and he closed his mouth around it.  He
kept his eyes locked on hers as his tongue swirled
around her fingers licking the juices from the
strawberry off  them, making it a completely sensual
act.  When he was finished, Buffy leaned  in and
kissed him, loving the faint taste of strawberries and
Angel.

"Mmmmm, yummy."  Angel leaned back in wanting more.
Buffy gave in, maneuvering herself nearly onto his lap
and wrapping her arms around him.

"Hey, don't start anything you can't finish in the
middle of the park, babe."

"You started it.  Besides, we're in the SECLUDED
section of the park."  Despite her words, she slid off
his lap and reached into the picnic basket.  Searching
for a moment, she pulled out a Hershey's bar.

"I couldn't find any chocolate covered strawberries
which are like heaven on earth, so we have a little
experiment."  She broke off a piece of the candy and
popped it into Angel's mouth.  Then she held out
another strawberry which Angel took a bite of.  He 
chewed, savoring the combination of flavors.  "Good?"
Buffy questioned.

"Very.  You try."  He fed her the same delectable
treat.

"Delicious.  Almost as good as you."  Buffy realized
how cheesy she sounded, but she was so in love that
she didn't care.  She kissed him softly, then lay back
on the blanket, pulling Angel down beside her.
Together they stretched out in the sun.

Part 4

--If I could think back and see this thing clearly
If I could just remember when.
Of all the things I hold so dear to me
I miss the people we were then.--

Buffy awoke disoriented.  She was supposed to be in
the park with Angel.  Not alone in her bed.  Then it
all came back to her.  Angel wasn't human or even here
with her.  He was still a vampire who lived in Los
Angeles, hundreds of physical and emotional miles away
from her.

*God, what is wrong with me?* Buffy thought.  Yes,
ever since Angel left, there had been a small constant
ache in her, but she grew to ignore it.  And yes, she
had dreamed of him being human even years after they
had broken up.  But this was different.  This was her
5th human Angel dream in a row and they were more
intense than all her other dreams.  All day, even at
her busiest moments at work, she couldn't get him out
of her head.  Glancing up to make sure her door was
closed, she walked over to her closet, dug through a
pile of clothes, and pulled out an old shoebox.  She
sat on her bed and gingerly lifted the top.

The first thing she picked up was a worn picture, the
only one she had of Angel.  Willow had taken it at the
beginning of junior year when she was in a photography
class.  Buffy gazed at the picture, amazed at how
young and happy she looked dancing in Angel's arms.
She placed the picture aside and picked up a movie
ticket stub from the soft core film they had
accidentally seen.  She smiled at the memory.  They
had thought it was about food.  But, well, there was
that one part with the food.  She set aside the small
piece of paper as well and withdrew a jewelry box
containing a silver cross.  She opened the box, ran
her finger over the
metal then set it aside and pulled out two items: a
creased piece of paper and a folded up t-shirt.  She
had found them in the mansion when she went there a
few weeks after graduation and knew that he had left
them behind just for her.  She had worn the shirt
every night to bed until it had lost his scent.  She
held it to her chest, wishing it still smelled like
him, that she could have that connection.  She
unfolded the thin paper to find herself, or rather a
charcoal drawing of herself, looking back at her.
Angel had never shown her any of his drawings because
he was self conscious and because Angelus had given
her a drawing.  But 
somehow, after he left, it seemed appropriate.  It
made it obvious how much he loved her because every
stroke of the charcoal had clearly been made with such
tenderness.  She set the drawing down and picked up
the last item in the box, a book of sonnets.  She
opened to the front page and gently traced the letters
of 'Always' written out in Angel's beautiful script.
Then she flipped forward.    Angel had told her that
this poem reminded him of how he felt for her and it
had soon become her favorite.

  "How do I love thee ? Let me count the ways.
  I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
  My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
  For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
  I love thee to the level of every day's
  Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
  I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
  I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
  I love thee with the passion put to use
  In my old grief's, and with my childhood's faith.
  I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
  With my lost saints,--I love thee with the breath,
  Smiles, tears, of all my life !--and, if God choose,
  I shall but love thee better after death."

Buffy felt overwhelming emotions begin to bubble up
inside her and quickly put the book down.  *What a way
to start off the day.*  She put everything back in the
box and went to take a shower.  When she came back,
she got dressed quickly.  She grabbed her purse ready
to leave but then impulsively opened the shoebox still
sitting on her bed and pulled out her silver cross
necklace.  She swung her hair to the side and clasped
the chain around her neck.  She tucked it under her
shirt, not wanting Giles to question her about it but
needing to keep Angel close to her heart.

*****

--It's time once again to revive some old some new--

Buffy's fingers moved deftly over the keyboard, typing
up the records for the day.  She heard the bell of the
front door jangle, signaling someone's entrance.  It
was past closing time and so just to be careful, she
reached for the stake she kept in her desk and slipped
it into her sleeve.  Moving stealthily to the door of
the office she shared with Giles, she stepped into the
front room of the store.

"I'm sorry but we're clo-...Angel."  She actually felt
her heart skip a beat.  She stared at him in disbelief
at his appearance as hope sprang unbidden into her
heart.  Then she realized that gaped jaw wasn't her
most attractive look, so she shook herself out of her

stupor.  "Hi," she said almost shyly.

"Hey," he replied, his velvety voice flowing over her.

"What's going on?  Are you okay?  Is there some kind
of demon?  What's wrong?"  The words spilled out
quickly as Buffy suppressed her hopes thinking they'd
only lead to disappointment.  She took a few steps
towards him, yet still didn't get to close.

"No, actually, for once I have good news."  He grinned
at her.  "I'm human."  The bomb he just dropped
exploded around her and she felt dizzy.  She
ungracefully plopped down in one of the leather desk
chairs on display, breathing deeply, trying to regain
her composure.  Images from her dreams danced through
her head.  "Buffy," Angel asked softly, trying to
break through the haze of shock.  He walked over to
her and gently placed his hand on her knee.  The
contact sent an unexpected spark of heat through her
bringing her out of her thoughts.

"Maybe I should have led up to that," he smiled
softly.

"How?  Why?  When?"  Angel pulled up another display
chair across from hers and sat down.

"I'll start at the beginning.  A few years ago, Wesley
found a prophecy that said that once I found my
redemption I would become human.  So a few years
later, a few battles later, here I am."  Buffy took a
few minutes to digest everything he had told her.  She

clenched her fists trying to suppress the urge to
reach over and touch his newly warm skin, to feel his
heart being under her hand.

"So you're redeemed?" she said slowly.  "That's so
great for you, Angel.  Congratulations."

"Thanks, I..."  The bell at the door jangled once
again interrupting Angel.  Buffy sprang up from her
chair to see a young man and woman enter the store.

"I'm sorry, we're closed."

"Yeah, and from now on you'll be permanently closed,"
the boy said vamping out.   Buffy began giggling.

"Oh man, that was lame.  I mean I've been around
awhile and I've heard some really lame threats, but
that was by far the lamest."

"Prepare to die, Slayer," the girl said also vamping
out while the boy looked upset at Buffy's laughter.

"Wow, that's the most trite thing you could have
possibly said.  You two are so not entertaining.
Jeez, what's a Slayer got to do to have a little fun?"
she said exasperatedly.  Then, lightening quick, she
grabbed her stake.  "Oh wait.  I know."  She ran
towards the two vamps kicking them both in one full
swoop.  They were fledglings and the fight was quick.
She staked one then threw the other one off her back.
The vamp slid over the counter knocking off the
display of pens Giles had set up that morning.

"Shit, Giles is gonna kill me."  She rammed the stake
home and sighed heavily.

"Some things never change do they?"  Angel said,
giving her a small amused half smile.

"No, they don't."  She smiled back but it was
bittersweet.  "Why don't I clean up here, then I can
lock up and we can go somewhere to talk."

Part 5

--Teaser with pretty lines
With shiny glass and perfect time
Ease up against my spine
Because there's still a million miles to climb--

They kept the conversation light as they walked back
to Buffy's apartment.  They discussed Xander and
Anya's wedding, Dawn and college, and Angel told Buffy
about Gunn and Fred and the rest of the L.A. gang's
lives.  Buffy slid her key into the lock and smiled.

"This is nice, ya know, catching up.  I never get to
catch up with anyone."

"Yea, it's fun," Angel said smiling back at her.  She
caught his grin and her smile grew at the thought of
him being happy.  He never smiled that much before,
but she found that she really enjoy the sight.

"Giles?" Buffy called as they entered the apartment.

"In the kitchen!" he called back.  Buffy headed
towards his voice, but stopped in the doorway.

"Um, hi," she said to the dark haired woman sipping
tea across the table from Giles.

"Buffy, this is my, uh, friend Hannah.  Hannah, this
is my niece Buffy," he introduced, keeping with the
story they put together.  Angel stepped into view
behind the Slayer and Giles' eyes widened in shock,
but he recovered quickly.  "This is her friend Angel.
Um, would you excuse us for a second, Hannah?"

"Of course Rupert."  Giles ushered Buffy and Angel
into the foyer.

"Giles!  You have a girlfriend!" Buffy accused softly.
 "When were you going to tell me about this?"

"Soon, I just...that's not the issue.  Angel, it's
good to see you again, but what are you doing here? Is
there trouble?"

"No, actually, I'm human."  Giles' eyes widen with
shock for the second time in a few minutes.

"Oh my.  I certainly did not expect to hear that."  He
took off his glasses, cleaned them, and settled them
back on his nose.  "How did this happen?"

"Long story short, the Powers That Be felt I earned
it."

"Intriguing.  So, you're only here to inform us of
this?"

"Yeah.  I didn't think it was the kind of thing you
can tell over the phone."

"Yes of course.  Well, I'm sure you two have a lot to
talk about," Giles said in his understanding, British
voice.  "Hannah and I were heading out to a movie
anyway so we won't be in your way."

"Thank Giles," Buffy stood on her tiptoes and kissed
his cheek.  Then, she gave him a devilish grin.  "Have
fun.  Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"Behave yourself," he told her, his smiling eyes
belying his stern tone.

"Right back atcha," she said grinning again.  Giles
disappeared for a moment and returned with Hannah.

"Nice meeting you, Buffy and Angel."  The pair
returned the sentiments and the older couple left.
Suddenly alone, a string of tension began to thread
through the air as they realized they were alone.  The
talk on the way to the apartment had been kept light,
but they couldn't keep it like that forever.

"Do you want something to eat or drink?" Buffy
offered.

"Yeah, sure, thanks."  They went in to the kitchen and
Angel sat down at the table while Buffy opened the
refrigerator.

"Iced tea ok?"  Buffy asked perusing the contents.

"Yeah."  Angel fought to keep his eyes off her back as
she pulled out the iced tea and poured it.  That
wasn't what he was here for.  He was simply here to
tell her that he was human, maybe be her friend, but
certainly no more.  They led different lives.  Besides
after so long, she couldn't possibly still love him.
Buffy placed the two glasses of iced tea on the table
next to a plate of crackers and sat down across from
him.  Suddenly Angel was overwhelmed by deja vu.  The
scene was set exactly as it had been years ago, the
first time his humanity had been returned to him, on a
day that no one but him remembered.  *But this time is

different* he told himself.  *You are not going to end
up making love to her no matter how much you want to
because it's just too complicated.*

"So....." she began, not sure where to take the
conversation next.  "Human.  I gotta say this is very
surprising."

"Yeah it is.  I'm still getting used to it."

"How long has it been?" Buffy asked taking a sip of
her tea.

"Three weeks."  The conversation went on in that
manner for awhile.  Angel told Buffy about how in a
bloody battle he and the A.I. gang finally took down
Wolfram and Hart and how the Powers had finally
granted him his redemption.  They talked for hours
about aspects of the battle and the fact that Angel
still had some vampire qualities like strength.  They
also caught up more
about Buffy's life, how she ended up in Nevada, and
where the rest of the Scoobies were.  As the
conversation winded down, Buffy finally asked the
question that had been on her mind.

"What's next for you?"  *For us?* her subconscious
added.

"I'm not sure.  We had a lot of cleaning up to do
after the battle so things are just getting settled
and I haven't really figured things out."

"Well, how long are you staying in Vegas?"

"I got a room over at the Sheraton so I think I'm
going to stay a few days.  I've never been in Vegas
before."

"I'll show you around.  I'm working until one but if
you come by the store we can go to lunch or something.
 There's an excellent diner down the street."

"That'd be great."  Angel smiled at Buffy and as he
looked at her, his eyes caught on the clock mounted on
the wall behind her.  "Oh wow, it's really late.  I
should get going."  Buffy checked her watch.  It was
well past midnight.

"Alright," the pair stood up and walked to the front
door.  Angel opened the door, took a step into the
hallway, then turned around to face Buffy.

"So I'll see you tomorrow right?"

"Right."  They smiled at each other, but the moment
quickly grew awkward as neither knew how to end the
night.  Angel desperately wanted to kiss her
goodnight, to brush his lips against her own soft pink
ones.  Simple and sweet like he used to.  But things
stopped being simple years ago.  Little did he know
she was hoping for the exact same thing.  Instead he
smiled at
her again and headed for the elevator.

Part 6

--Talk in sign, say something new--

"Cordelia?"

"Oh!  Hey, Angel!"

"Hi Angel!!!" he heard Fred's high voice call out on
the other end of the phone.

"Tell Fred I say hi," Angel said, then heard Cordy
relay his message.  "So, what's going on?"

"Nothing much. Fred, Dennis and I are playing
Scrabble."

"Where's Gunn?"

"Out on patrol."

"Where's Wes?"

"Surprisingly enough he's out on a date."

"That seems to be a trend with ex-Watchers these
days," Angel said, smiling, thinking of Giles and the
woman he had with him.  Angel was so happy to see
Giles with someone.  He had always felt so guilty that
the British man had never found anyone after Jenny
Calendar.

"So, I'm assuming that you met up with Giles and
Buffy, then."

"Yes."

"Well, come on!  I thought we broke you of this
cryptic act years ago.  Tell me what happened!"

"So, who is Wesley dating?"

"That waitress that he saved from vamps last week,
Nicole, but don't you try to change the subject,
mister.  What happened between you and Buffy??"

"I told her that I was human.  We talked about how
that happened.  We talked about what was going on in
our lives, then I went back to the hotel."

"That's it?  She didn't totally jump you like I
expected?"

"Cordelia," Angel said warningly.  "I told you.  I did
not come here to get back together with her.  I came
to tell her the news because I thought she deserved to
know.  Besides I've never been to Las Vegas before.
We're just going to be friends."

*****

--Talk in circles, nothing better to do--

"So, Angel's human."  Giles said, later that night.
He sat down on the couch across from Buffy, who was
curled up in an armchair, trying to read the latest
Cosmo, except that she kept getting distracted by her
thoughts.

"Yes, he is."

"Well?"

"Well, what?" she said, looking up from her magazine.

"Well, how'd that happen?  What's happening between
you two?"

"He's been fighting against an evil law firm that
represents demons and stuff for a while now and when
he finally defeated them the Powers That Be decided to
grant him his humanity."

"And?"

"And then he was human.  The end."

"But what about you?"

"So, Hannah seems nice." Buffy asked.

"Don't change the subject.  What about you?"

"What about me?" she replied.  "It has nothing to do
with me.  He wanted to come to Vegas, do some
sightseeing, tell me about his humanity, then go back
to L.A.  That's it."

"So you two are not getting back together?"

"No.  We're just friends."

Part 7

--What will I find when I cross that line
For now it's fine just say goodnight--

Angel met Buffy for lunch the next day.  And they had
dinner with Giles and Hannah.  And then met her again
for lunch the next day.  And dinner that night.
During the second dinner, Angel announced his
intentions to leave for Los Angeles the next day.

"You're going home?" Buffy asked, trying to hide her
disappointment.

"Yeah.  I think that would be best.  I've taken up too
much of your time already."

"I really don't mind," she assured him without showing
him how much she didn't mind.  Without showing him
that he was all she could think about these days and
that she never wanted him to leave.  Before they could
continue their conversation, the waiter came with the
check and they both reached for it.

"Let me," Angel said.

"But you paid for lunch," Buffy protested.

"Really, let me.  I want to," he said sliding the bill
out of Buffy's grasp.  He paid the check and they left
the restaurant.  As they walked down the street
towards Angel's hotel, Angel realized that he
desperately didn't want the night to end.  "So, do you
want to go get some ice cream?"

"Sure," Buffy replied not wanting the night to end,
either.  They walked a few blocks then stepped into a
Ben & Jerry's.  As Angel scanned the list of flavors,
Buffy ordered right away.  "I'll have a large cookie
dough fudge mint chip in a wafer cone."  Angel ordered
the same.  Buffy took out her wallet but Angel stopped
her.

"Buffy, I'll pay."  She turned and grinned at him.

"Angel, I appreciate that chivalry's not dead, but you
covered dinner.  I've got it.  It's fine."  She paid
the girl behind the counter and they left.

*****

--Pack up some scant possessions
For this trip you'll take
To find what's right in front of you--

"So we're all trapped in the frat house," Buffy was
telling Angel as they neared her apartment.  "Then
Giles and Anya broke in and I kind of accidentally
called forth the demon."

"How did you accidentally call forth the demon?" Angel
asked as Buffy took the last bite of her ice cream.

"Well, Giles mentioned the mark, so I figure destroy
the mark, destroy the demon.  But it was actually
destroy the mark and bring forth the demon.  So, it
came forth and all and it turns out that the demon is
only this big," she demonstrated the size with her
hands.  Angel laughed.  "Well this is it," she said
stopping in front her apartment building.

"Yeah," he turned to her.

"You have some ice cream on your face," she giggled.
Angel wiped his face with one of his large hands.
"You didn't get it."  Angel repeated the action.
"You're missing it," she giggled again.  "Here, let
me."  She stepped closer to him,  reached up and
suddenly Angel couldn't take it anymore.  He grasped
her wrist and pulled her into him, bending his head to
press his lips against hers.

Buffy was surprised at first, but she couldn't fight
it, and she didn't want to.  She relented to his
demanding kiss with a soft moan as she wrapped her
arms around his neck.  His mouth was warm against hers
and so familiar even after all those years.  Suddenly,
the longing, the intense craving for him that she had
suppressed for so many years was back with a
vengeance.  She couldn't get enough of him.  Angel's
hands roamed her back, pressing her closer, needing to
feel her against him.  Finally, they both broke away
gasping for air. They stood in silence for a moments,
digesting what happened.  Then, Buffy grinned.

"You still have ice cream on your face."  Angel just
grinned and pulled her in for another kiss. Buffy
managed to lick the ice cream from the corner of his
mouth before sinking into his kiss.  Their first few
kisses were soft, testing but soon they grew more
passionate, filled with years of pent up desire.
Shortly,  Buffy found herself pressed against the wall
of her building with Angel's full length pressed
against her.  Her hands ran through his hair, over his
shoulders, anywhere she could reach.  Angel's strong
hands roved over her body as well.

"Angel, oh God, Angel, we need to get inside."

"Right," Angel groaned.  "Inside."  Pulling back from
each other, they ran into the building.

Part 8

--The thousand wishes I have had in my life come
true.--

Buffy pulled the sheets up around her as Angel
gathered her naked body into his arms.  She was
exhausted, but ecstatic.  She was so happy to be with
him again.  She hadn't realize just how much she
missed him.

"I missed you," she told him.

"I missed you so much.  Everyday."  He brought her
hand up to his mouth and kissed it.  She propped
herself up on her elbow and looked down at him.

"Ya know, that stuff about being friends?"

"Mmhmmm," Angel answered, absentmindedly, his
attention being planting kissed all over her hand and
arm.

"Well, ya know, I think we should do that."  Angel
stopped what he was doing and turned his head in
surprise.

"Huh?"

"These past days, just talking to you, being your
friend have been so great.  Before we never got to
really be friends.  It was always drama and disasters.
 We were always breaking up and making up.  We were
never friends."

"I mean if that's what you want...but I thought..."
Angel stammered.  She was rejecting him?  But they had
just made love.  In response, Buffy just giggled and
threw her leg over him so she was straddling him.

"Ya know, being friends doesn't mean we can't have sex
though."  Angel looked relieved and Buffy giggled
again.  "I really had you going there for a second,
didn't I?  You should have seen your face."  In reply,
Angel snaked his hand into her blonde silky strands
and pulled her down for a kiss.  When the kiss broke,
Buffy looked down at her ex-ex-boyfriend.  His usually
perfectly gelled hair was mussed and his deep
chocolate eyes were shining with happiness.  He gazed
back at her.  She was straddling him with the sheet
around her
waist, her blonde hair creating a curtain around their
faces, and her perfect pink lips quirked in a smile
and they were both overwhelmed with emotion.

"I love you," Angel said softly.

"I love you too.  I never stopped."

*****

--In my dream you looked so beautiful there
Just like the part of you that makes a part of me seem
Seem like a one way track I feel like I could float
away--

The sun streaming through the window finally
penetrated Angel's closed eyelids and he blinked awake
to find Buffy gazing down at him.  The sunlight was
behind her giving her the appearance of an angel.

"Hey," she said softly, not wanting to break the early
morning spell that had settled over them.

"Hey," he replied quietly and pulled her in for a kiss
but before their lips met Buffy pulled back.

"I have morning breath," she explained when Angel gave
her a questioning look.  He wrapped his arms around
her and kissed her anyway.

"After all this time," he whispered pressing his
forehead against hers, "the last thing I'm worried
about is morning breath."

"This is how it's supposed to be," Buffy said,
snuggling closer to him.  "Waking up and just lying in
your arms."

"Actually," Angel told her, placing soft kisses
against her neck and collarbone, "I had a different
vision of how this morning could go."

"Really?" Buffy asked, tilting her head back giving
Angel better access to her skin.

"Yeah.  I thought we could wake up *kiss* and make
love *kiss*, slow *kiss* and gentle *kiss*."  Buffy
gasped as Angel's tongue flicked out over her scar.

"Well, I guess we could try it your way."

*****

--You can be the walker I'm gonna be your wire
You can be the ugly truth I'm gonna be your liar
Still the future lit up so bright for all to see
Our flashlight destiny--

"Good morning Buffy, Angel." Giles greeted them when a
few hours later Buffy and Angel finally emerged from
the bedroom.  He was sitting at the kitchen sipping
his tea, but there was a pot of coffee brewing.

"Morning Giles," Buffy told him, much more chipper
than she usually was in the morning.  She helped
herself to a mug of coffee then offered some to Angel.

"No thanks.  If we're going to make it to breakfast, I
should get back to the hotel."

"Okay."  Buffy put her coffee down and walked Angel to
the door.

"I'll pick you up in like a half hour okay?  Is that
enough time for you to make yourself pretty?" Angel
teased.

"You don't think I'm purdy?" Buffy asked,
mock-offended.

"I think you're the most beautiful thing I've ever
seen," Angel told her, suddenly serious, his voice low
and velvety.  He leaned in and kissed her slow and
deep.  "I'll see you in a bit."  Buffy nodded, still a
little breathless from the kiss.  Angel closed the
door
behind him and Buffy went back into the kitchen.

"So, you and Angel are going out to breakfast?" Giles
asked.

"Yup," she said, picking up her coffee mug and taking
a sip.  She studied her Watcher for a moment.  "You
didn't seem particularly surprised to see him here
this morning."

"I can't say I am."

"Really?"  Buffy asked.  "Because I kinda was."  Giles
looked up from his newspaper and gave her a
questioning look.  "We both had all intentions of
being just friends," she explained.  Giles chuckled.

"You two could never be just friends.  And frankly I'm
surprised that you two were able to stay apart for so
long.  For over six years, all of us were waiting for
the day when he would show up on your doorstep or you
would run off to Los Angeles because you couldn't take
it anymore.  But I guess we all underestimated the
willpower the two of you possess.  However, when he
showed up here, human no less, I thought without
question that you two would be getting back together.
So I'm not surprised that he spent the night, but I'm
certainly surprised that it took so long."  Buffy
stared at him with her head cocked to the side.

"Ya know you could have told me."

"Told you what?"

"That you thought we were meant to be together."

"I think it's something you needed figure out by
yourself."

"Whatever," Buffy shrugged, finishing her coffee.
Nothing was going to ruin her good mood this morning.
"I'm going to go take a shower."  She put her mug in
the dishwasher and started to leave the room.

"Buffy."  She turned around in the doorway and faced a
smiling Giles.  "Why don't you take the day off?"
Buffy smiled even wider and kissed her Watcher on the
cheek.

"Thanks Giles, I think I'll do that."

Part 9

--Because number one I'm good with you
And the way you look at me is number two--

Buffy met Angel for a big breakfast at a little cafe
around the block from Buffy's apartment, then they
spent the rest of the day in Angel's hotel room.
Doing nothing except  talking, making love, and
running up a high room service bill.  After dark, they
finally
decided to emerge from the bedroom and entered the
city.  They strolled arm in arm through the bright
lights and camera-toting tourists of Sin City, wrapped
up in their own little world.  As they wandered the
streets aimlessly, Angel's eyes caught on one
building and huge tacky sign: The Little White Wedding
Chapel.  He vaguely heard Buffy talking about some
demon that she had fought a few weeks back but his
mind was completely focused and his heart was surging
with his decision.

"Marry me," he blurted out.

"What?" she asked, stopping midsentence, looking
completely shocked.

"Marry me.  Right now.  Let's go in the chapel and get
married."  Buffy studied her lover's face.

"You're not kidding are you?" she said, unbelieving
what was happening.

"No I'm not," he faced her, taking her hands in his.
"I love you Buffy.  You've always been the one.  I
know without a shadow of a doubt that I want to spend
the rest of my life with you.  And maybe it's because
suddenly that means only decades instead of centuries,
but I want to start right away.  I want you to be my
wife."

"Oh, Angel," Buffy sighed, glancing at the little
chapel then back at her boyfriend.  A little smile
shone in her eyes.  "You realize this is completely
crazy, right?"

"Yes, I do.  Are you saying yes?"  His eyes bore into
hers, searching for an answer which she immediately
gave.

"Yes, I'm saying yes."  They stared at each other for
a split second in utter shock, but then Angel quickly
bent his head down, capturing Buffy's lips in a
soul-searing kiss.  He lifted her up, spun her around,
and then placed her back on the sidewalk.

"I can't believe this."

"I love you," she told him.  They went into the chapel
and talked to the wedding director.  The chapel
provided a simple white dress for Buffy and a tux for
Angel and soon they were standing in front of the
altar hand in hand.

"Do you, Buffy, take this man to be your lawfully
wedded husband?"

"I do."

"Do you, Angel, take this woman to be your lawfully
wedded wife?"

"I do."

"By the power invested in me by the state of Nevada, I
now pronounce you husband and wife.  You may kiss the
bride."  Angel's hands slipped to Buffy's waist
pulling her close to him before sealing their lips
together.  Buffy wrapped her arms around his neck and
melted into his kiss.

*****

--It's encompassing 'cause it's all around me dangling
like you above me.--

"I wonder how everyone will react," Buffy said,
nestling her well sated body against her new husband's
side.  "Xander and Giles will probably think we're
insane.  I kinda think we're insane.  I still don't
believe we did this.  Willow and Dawn are going to
freak.  Oh no, Dawn's going to be so upset."

"Why is that?" he murmured, running his fingertips
lightly over her bare hip.

"Um, duh.  We got married and she wasn't there."
Angel propped himself up on his elbow.

"You know what we could do?"

"What?"

"We could have another wedding.  A big fancy one with
all of our friends there.  You can wear a beautiful
white gown and pick out bridesmaid dresses and floral
arrangements.  And we can have a huge reception with a
DJ and you can throw the bouquet.  It will be a
fairytale wedding for my princess."

"Angel, I don't need a big fancy wedding.  I have you.
 That's all I need for the rest of my life."  Angel
echoed his wife, lightly caressing her cheek.

"The rest of our lives."