by Buffyspaljulie

Part 5

Angel and Buffy walked through Sunnydale hand in hand, pausing every now and then to gently kiss each other.

"This is nice." Buffy said smiling up at her boyfriend, it was better than perfect, the two together again, no if but or whatever's.

"If this all works out.." Angel pulled Buffy towards him and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"It's gonna get even better." Buffy giggled and pulled him down for a quick kiss.

" I hope so"

"We still have one problem." Angel said releasing Buffy from his embrace.

" I know, here don't worry about it I'll talk to my mom and Dawn."

"Actually I was thinking tall, blonde military kind of guy"

"OH MY GOD RILEY, I completely forgot about him." Buffy moved forward and wrapped her arms around Angels neck, and smiled up at him,

"I guess I've been preoccupied."

"We're gonna have to tell him."

"I don't think we is a good idea."

"Well I'm here you know"

"From now on, yeah, you are"

Angel cupped her face and leaned forward so they were nose to nose.

"We make decisions together from now on okay. Angel no more I thought it was best for you"

"Okay"

"Its' what couples do"

" Ahhh bloody hell. I have never seen anything so..well gut wrenchingly sick"

Angel and Buffy pulled apart and looked round to see Spike standing across the road.

"If isn't Soul boy and Blondie"

Angel went to go hit him square in the face but Buffy held him back, she was actually quite impressed at how Angel was going to defend her, no matter how idiotic and immature the remark was.

"Why have you graced us with your annoying presence Spike?" Buffy asked.

" I heard he was back in town for a while" he replied gesturing at Angel,

" And couldn't resist the tension that would occur." He added with a laugh.

"Spike. Don't make me hurt you"

"Oh calm down little slayer. God she is feisty? Huh Angel? I'll go, go visit me old buddy Riley. See how he's doing?"

Before Buffy could come up with a response, Angel rushed over and grabbed Spike by the collar and threw him against the car parked near him.

"Aww, Angel didn't know you felt that this way about me." Spike laughed.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Angel said with a little bit of an animalistic growl behind it, that Buffy picked up on.

"Oh yeah"

"You've seen my bad side, even when I have a soul."

Angel's eyes glowed yellow, his face changed and his fangs appeared.

"Fine Fine Calm down big lad. Ill go."

Angel let him go of him and his face returned to his normal attractive human visage. Spike wondered off and Angel turned to Buffy 's side taking her hand, which was small and dainty compared to his large strong one.

Buffy's mother took the news pretty well, she actually didn't mind Angel except for the whole demon thing, but somehow knew they'd be happy together and it would work, and she was going support her daughter's decision. Dawn on the other hand was ecstatic for her big sister,

"She said and I quote * oh my god yum* " Buffy said trying not to laugh.

"Yum?" Angel could fell himself go red with embarrassment; however with being a vampire he had the advantage of not blushing.

"And Riley?"

"I err.."

"Haven't got round to it?"

"No, not yet. I'm going to do it now. The longer I leave it the worse it will be for him."

Buffy got up to leave, before she got to the door, Angel stood up,

"Buffy look err."

"I love you. You. Okay, you don't have to worry about that." Buffy walked across the living room and kissed him on the cheek and reached up to his ear,

"I'll see you later." She whispered.

"Fine" he replied

"Then I'll show you how much I love you." She whispered even more softly and along with a giggle. Angel smiled back at her as he watched her walk out the door.

Buffy stood outside Riley's room. She realised that even though he was a few mere metres away she felt nothing, no tingling sensation, no goose bumps no butterflies in her stomach, that appeared when Angel was in the same town as her.

//God. Here we go.//

Buffy knocked the door.

" Come in, It's open."

Buffy heard Riley's voice and entered nervously. Riley was sitting at his desk in his room with a bunch of papers in front of him.

"Hi"

"Buffy Hi. I was worried about you the other night. What happened?"

//Where do I begin.//

In the past 24hrs Buffy's life had flipped 180 degrees, dreaming of Angel being human and it being real, hearing he would be human again and for good. She had all her dreams right in front of her and she had to break Riley's heart for them to come true, but a part of her didn't care, she wanted Angel, Angel wanted her, it was that simple.

Riley got up from his desk and put his arms around her waist, his hands on her back to support, just like Angel did when they were out for a walk earlier. However when Riley did it, it felt strange and not a nice strange, but like they were two north ends of a pair of magnets and that are being repelled against each other except Riley wasn't letting go.

Riley leaned down and kissed her. Buffy pulled back, breaking the embrace of Riley's arms. She hated someone else touching her, kissing her, someone who wasn't Angel. She had never noticed, but now things were different.

//Just was well Angel didn't come. Not if Riley valued his life.//

"What?" Riley looked into Buffys eyes and saw something was wrong. Something was different.

"We need to talk"

"Talk? Okay?" Riley sat on the bed hoping Buffy would join him, she turned round and moved to the centre of the room. Not a good sign in his books.

"What you wanna talk about?"

"We need to talk about.. Well us." She said nervously. She wanted to break up with him as she had Angel, the one thing, and the one person she wanted.

"I'm not gonna like this conversation? Am I?"

She didn't want to hurt him, that was gonna happen whether she wanted to or not.

"Not really." she replied.

"Didn't think so."

"I don't think you and me..us is er."

"You think what?"

"There's no.. well.. easy way or."

Riley looked at the floor, not wanting to make eye contact with her and seeing that he was more than likely right.

"I get it"

"Okay then." Buffy felt a huge weight being lifted her shoulders. It was over. done.

"Why?" He asked when he finally tore his eyes from the floor.

"What?" Buffy wasn't expecting questions, answers just yet. She knew he'd want to know, but now?

"Is there someone else?" Riley would have lied if he didn't admit it to himself that the thought had crossed his mind over the past few weeks.

"Riley"

"Well? Come on Buffy?"

"Don't do this?"

Riley started to chuckle sardonically,

"I'll take that as a yes. Can't say I'm shocked. So who's the lucky man huh? Anyone I know?"

"Riley . I'm sorry but.."

Riley got up and walked over to meet her in the middle of the room.

"Well? Who?"

Buffy couldn't meet his eyes.

"Oh. You are joking? Right."

Buffy stood silently; she looked him in the eye and saw that he had put two and two together.

"Angel! It's Angel!!"

Buffy went to walk away, when Riley grabbed her arms and spun her round.

"Answer me Buffy. Is it Angel?"

"Yes"

"The son- of- a- bitch that left you."

Riley tightened his grip on her arms; despite her own strength his was actually hurting her.

"Let go of me"

"No"

"Let go. Now"

"Tell me you don't love me."

"What?"

"Do you love me?"

"No" she whispered

"No No Let me hear you say the damn words."

Buffy was getting more and more angry by the minute

"I don't love you Riley."

Riley began to laugh,

"I don't believe this. After all we've been through, What I've put up with.

"What you've put up with" Buffy couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"And what we've done together." He said pointing to his bed.

"And put up with? You bet. How many guys can turn round and say their girlfriend..Oh sorry I'll correct myself..EX-girlfriend is a vampire slayer? And a bad one at that, she seems to have lost the plot to vampire slaying, as she's sleeping with one.

"I..AM..NOT.. SLEEPING. WITH.. ANGEL."

"Yet"

"Yet. I don't need your permission Riley."

"You mean, you haven't desouled the animal and put the world in danger."

"Don't even.."

"Oh that's right. You can't sleep with him. Bummer." He said cutting her off.

"Look Riley. I was hoping we could still be friends after this."

"Friends? No thank you. Be one of the Scooby Gang, your bunch of freak friends. Gee let me see, be friends with a watcher, two witches, two vampires, and ex-vengeance demon, two vampire slayers in which one is a psycho, what ever the hell Dawn is and..Oh that's right there was a werewolf in there as well. Poor Xander he's the only normal one."

"I can't believe your being so.."

"So what? Hurt? Angry? Pissed off? How do you expect me to act? Tap dance? You were a wreak after that asshole left you.."

Riley was cut off by Buffy slapping him across the face. Riley regained his balance and hit her back.

"Weren't expecting that huh? Well tonight's been full of surprises, might as well add a few of my own. I loved you and looked after you, and he just appears.and you go running back to him."

"Looked after me? What you had to put up with? I had to deal with little boys playing soldier with my life and the lifes of my friends and if I'm not mistaken you slept with the so-called psycho slayer. Oh that's right. Adam ring any bells. We may be freaks, but we save peoples lives not endanger them,

"Well not until you sleep with one and give him a happy."

Buffy looked at the blood on her hand that she had wiped from her lip,

"Talking of Angel. You gonna get your big strong boyfriend to hit me back Buffy?"

"I won't need to tell him"

" You should just leave."

"Good idea"

Buffy walked away and went out the door slamming it behind her. She had never seen Riley get so mad. She felt a little guilty that she had been the one to cause the anger to get him like that, but after what he said, she was glad it was over with him. Now there's nothing in the way between her and Angel.

Part 6

Willow and Tara had arrived at Giles house with all the ingredients they might need. They opened the door and saw the lights were low and the curtains were closed.

"Maybe we should..er..not..interrupt them." Tara said pointing to the curtains.

"Vampire. Daylight." Willow said with a smile.

"Oh.I just." Tara had gone red.

As Willow walked further in, Giles appeared, he put his index finger to his mouth and then pointed over to the couch. Willow and Tara looked round to see Buffy and Angel fast asleep. Over the past few days Buffy hadn't slept well, so after coming back from Riley's she had sat beside Angel and drifted off. Buffy's head was resting on Angel's shoulder, her arm around his waist and her legs tucked up on the couch. Angel had his arm around her waist and his cheek resting on top of her head.

"Ahhh. That's so cute." With Willow's words Buffy's eyes slowly opened and she wriggled round and therefore woke Angel.

"Hi Will." Buffy said sleepily.

"What time is it?" she asked hoping she hadn't slept too long.

"The sun's down" Tara added letting Buffy get the answer she wanted.

Buffy looked up at Angel and smiled at him, she was so excited that she didn't notice that subconsciously she was gently rubbing Angel's chest.

Willow, Tara, Wesley and Giles flipped through books and got all their ingredients ready, while Xander, Spike and Angel moved the furniture to create a larger space in the middle of the room so that they perform the ritual of making Angel's soul permanent.

"Why do I have to bloody move the sodding furniture?" the bleach blond vampire asked.

Buffy, Cordelia and Anya were in the kitchen talking and looking at everyone around them.

"Hey Buffy when your done with Angel."

"Not gonna happen Anya." Buffy said not needing Anya to finish.

"Oh my God. I get enough of girls drooling over Angel at home, never mind here."

"Cordelia. I'm his girlfriend. I'm allowed to drool." Buffy replied.

//Girls. Angel. LA.//

"What girls? "Buffy snapped round.

"Oh, whenever we go to save souls or whatever, girls approach him and stuff."

"And stuff? "Buffy didn't like were this was going.

"Just Kate."

"Kate?" Buffy asked sounding green with envy that someone else was in Angel's life.

"She's just a friend, who liked Angel, but he never, ever returned the feelings."

Buffy smiled happily knowing that this KATE woman, had no chance in hell, especially now, with Angel.

"Your gonna be sooo lucky tonight." Anya said starring at Angel, surfacing flexed biceps that were being used as he lifted an armchair.

Buffy shot her a dangerous look.

"Excuse me?"

"Oh please Buffy look at him."

Willow explained to Buffy and Angel the spell and it's effects. It was basically like the restoration spell she performed a few years ago.

"Will we know when it happens?"

"We don't know Buffy. I mean last time you knew right?"

"Yeah his eyes glowed."

"I felt it. A power go through me." Angel added.

"Well because your soul is already with you, you might not feel anything."

Buffy and Angel nodded, taking in all the information.

"Well, let's go." Wesley said setting the last candle down.

"You need to stand in the centre of the circle Angel."

Tara said taking his hand and leading him into the room.

Angel stood in the circle he looked at Buffy, never shifting his eyes.

"Okay, everyone ready." Willow said.

Buffy stood beside Cordelia and Xander, along with Anya and Spike. Xander held Buffy's hand, and felt her tensing up.

"It's gonna be okay Buffy."

"Yeah. Here maybe we'll get lucky and.. I don't know..turn him into a toad." Spike said laughing.

"Wait Wait Wait" Buffy said and rushed past everyone into the circle, she wrapped her arms around Angel's neck and kissed him passionately, just like he did that day on the pier in LA, when he was human.

Buffy broke the kiss and was gasping for breath; they stood arms still around each other, forehead-to-forehead, nose to nose.

"I love you," She whispered.

"I love you too."

"I just..Incase something." Angel cut her off by gently kissing her.

"I know. I love you okay." He said reassuring her. Buffy walked back to resume her place beside Xander and Cordelia.

"If that was the kiss, god help the neighbours tonight." Anya said. Buffy blushed and looked round at Angel who was smiling at her with the same embarrassment. Anya was right though in some ways, she couldn't wait for the spell to finish and go home, she had waited a long time for this, the kiss saw something that had been built up over time and it was killing her bottling it up. She wanted home now, and for the first of many for probably the rest of her life, she was going home with Angel.

Part 7

Willow, Tara, Wesley and Giles sat at the points of the circle, like a compass, with Angel standing in the middle. The lights were turned out, with the only light being that from the candles. Each of the spell casters had a circle of candles around them and one around Angel as he stood.

Angel was a little nervous, mainly that Buffy would be disappointed if this didn't work, he didn't want her to get hurt again. Willow opened the book at the marked page. She looked up at Angel and smiled. He returned it and went back to gazing into Buffy's eyes. Willow started to recite the spell that she had used those few years ago, but with the alterations. Tara began reading the Latin that she had in front of her, Wesley had the Orb of Thesulah and Giles was working on the "ingredients" that were giving off a little smoke.

The Orb glowed in front of Wesley, just like it did last time Willow performed the spell, and again Angel's eyes glowed, he felt something go through him and fell to his knees. Buffy jumped past everyone and grabbed Angel.

"Angel. You okay?"

Angel regained his composure and rubbed his eyes.

"Yeah. I think so."

"Did you feel something?" Arial; Willow asked eager for Angel's response.

"I felt something. Again."

Buffy smiled up at him and held his hand.

"That doesn't mean that it worked though? Does it?" Angel asked with a little anxiety behind his voice that Buffy instantly picked up on, she tightened her grip on his hand.

" Well..er..we'll..er..have to see I suppose." Giles said cleaning his glasses, for what seemed like the thirtieth time in the last hour. Buffy reached up to Angel's ear,

" I don't see that being a problem." She whispered.

Willow over heard and understood what Buffy said, and cleared her throat trying to hold back an embarrassed giggle. Giles looked at his watch.

"I hate to be the..er.."

"Patrol. I know." Buffy answered.

"I'll go with her." Angel added.

"Oh no you don't" . Xander interrupted,

"Like much patrolling will get done. I'll do it."

"Xander don't be.."

"Spike will come with me." Xander butted out over Buffy.

" Whoa Whoa Whoa, Buddy. I have to go do their dirty work while they go..and well..do their dirty work."

"We can handle it ." She said.

" The handling is the problem, I'll do it. Don't think I'm doing you two a favour, I just want the excuse to kick some ass. Alright."

Buffy and Angel walked hand in hand up to her house; she got to the door and pulled a key out of her pocket. As she went to put it in the lock Angel gently put his arms around her waist and starting to kiss the back of her neck.

"Hmmm. I've missed that."

"Same here."

She turned round so she was face to face with him.

" I mean it. I've missed this. I've missed us. I've missed you."

Angel cupped Buffy's face in his hand and gently kissed it.

"You wanna come in? " she said with a devilish smile.

"Well if I have to."

"Yes you have to."

"Good."

When they got in there was no one about.

"Mom. Dawn. Hello?"

" Buffy here" Angel handed Buffy a note. She opened it and started to read it.

"Buffy? Well?"

Buffy looked at him and gently kissed him.

"Dawn is sleeping at her friends house, and Mom is away out and won't be back till late if at all tonight."

Buffy gently took hold of Angel's hand and giggled. She started backing up the stairs, followed by Angel. When they reached the door to Buffy's room Angel stopped.

"Angel?"

"Are you sure you ."

Buffy cut him off by kissing him.

"Shut up okay. Don't worry about it."

As they walked in, Buffy closed the door behind her, Angel spun her around and pressed her against the door and placed his forehead against hers,

"I love you Buffy"

"I love you too."

Buffy lay beside Angel, cuddled up against him, her head on his chest. Angel had his arm around her waist and was stroking her hand with his other hand.

"It worked huh?"

"I guess, I don't feel my soul being ripped from my body." Angel added sarcastically.

At that Buffy strengthened her hold on Angel,

"Sorry. Look I'm not going anywhere."

"I know it's just. You know."

" I know, I know. Shhh..It's okay. No where ever I promise."

The phone on Buffy's bedside rang breaking the peaceful afterglow. She turned over to her other side, putting her back to Angel, she reached out for the phone.

"Hello"

"Hi Buffy" Willow chirped down the phone.

" Hi Will. What's wrong?"

Angel gently moved over from behind Buffy, put his arm around her waist and kissed her on her jaw just below her ear.

"Nothing. I'm just..er..checking..on..er..did it work?" She asked nervously.

Buffy giggled at Angel's touch, Willow could hear Angel kissing her.

"I'm going to go on yes."

"Thanks Will. I owe you."

"No you don't"

Angel took the phone from Buffy.

" well I do."

"It's okay Angel. Just .. just be happy. I'll see you two soon"

" Bye Willow".

Angel reached back over Buffy and hung the phone up.

"So?"

"So?"

Buffy turned back round and faced Angel. She ran her hand through his hair.

" We have a lot to talk about." She said, still running her hands in his hair, and twisting the dark brown little strands around her fingers.

"Yeah. I guess."

" A future. Who would have thought? Huh?"

"I know." Angel answered leaning slightly forward and kissing her.

Buffy stopped, and placed her hand on his chest over his non-beating heart.

"It can wait for now."

END.