In the morning, she woke and looked around, the blinds were closed and he was standing by the window. "Angel." He rushed to her side.

"Morning."

"Is it?"

"Yes it is love. Buffy, I."

"Angel, I was wrong, what was I thinking? No, that's not true, I knew exactly what I was thinking. Angel, I can't go through life pretending to be normal because I am not. Why should I have a normal boyfriend, one who I can't talk to about the demon of the day? Why should we be punished?"

"Because I chose the wrong girl to feed on and I will pay forever. I'm sorry, to make you pay the price for my mistake. Had it not been for her, I probably never would've met you, and we would not be in pain."

"Shhh." she put her finger up to his lips. "Don't say that. I would rather die a thousands deaths than have to live never having met you. I love you forever. Vampire or not, good or bad. I loved you even when I was kicking your ass."

"I don't think you were kicking my ass, I think I was kicking yours."

"Hey pal, you were so over, had it not been for Willow."

"Okay, you win, I can't pick a fight with an invalid. Seriously."

"Seriously Angel, I loved you even when you were. when you were him."

"I know. I loved you too."

"You lie."

"I do, I felt nothing but hate Buffy, that's what I hate most. What I did, who I hurt, and how, but most, I hate that I did this to you. Buffy, it's there inside me, I can't control the demon, temptations are there, you, the need for the."

"Shhh.." She pulled his lips to hers and washed away the fear he had. She saw the fear in his eyes, how scared he was to be telling her about this. They shared so much, "Angel. I am glad you did it."

"What? How can yo."

"Angel, no matter what now, I am a part of you. I am inside you all the time. You can't get rid of me, you carry some of my life inside you. If that's the most intimate we can be, it must be good enough."

He couldn't believe what she was saying. He was glad she had said it, so he didn't have to. He knew looking into her eyes that she knew exactly what he was thinking. He felt the same way, he could feel her life inside him. He knew it was there, it would be there, always, part of him.

"Hey Buffy! How are you feeling?" she asked Buffy.

"I'm good. Cordelia, I never got to say thanks."

"For what?"

"For standing up for Angel. For being there for him, for helping him when I couldn't."

"Ya know Buffy, I know I was a bitch in high school and I gave you a hard time. I want you to know that I'm really sorry. I'm not just saying that this time, I mean it."

"I know you do." They hugged for a minute and the doctor walked in.

"Okay Ms. Summers, just sign this release and you'll be on your way home."

They pulled into Giles' and Buffy jumped out of the car and ran into the house. She smashed into his arms and their lips met. It had been two days and she had missed him. This was going to be hard, being together, it was going to be a challenge not to slip, but she was sure they could handle it.

"Now, we have the scoobies back together, we need to put a stop to Adam." Giles spoke so authoritatively. She saw how hard it was for him to have Angel in his house. The same house where he had come home and had found Ms. Calendar dead upstairs, a present from Angelus.

He sat on the couch and she sat in his lap with his arms around her. They all listened intently to Giles. He had thought a lot about how to take Adam on. Dusk fell and they ordered pizzas. They were all talking when the door flung open.

"HEY! I GOT AN IDEA!"

Angel jumped up and lunged at his throat, both were in their game faces. Angel was growling and she screamed, "ANGEL! NO!!! LET HIM BE! Leave him alone!"

Spike jumped back and Angel hit him. Spike struck at Angel and doubled over in pain. "OW!" She rushed after Angel and took his hand. "That bloody hurt!"

"Angel, he's okay," she caressed his face trying to calm him down, and he did. She turned to Spike, "This better be good. You're going to help us? Out of the evilness of your heart? Please."

"Yeah, I thought you would love to throw a loose cannon at us!" Xander said.

"Yeah, well, I thought about it, and then changed my mind when the bloody thing tried to rip my head off a few minutes ago."

"Oh. so what's your plan?"

"Well, I was thinking. Ya know when you did that mojo stuff and took the tracer out of my back?"

"Yeah, what of it? We shouldda let 'em take you, what were we thinking?"

"Hey! Ya know blondie, it was that long ago that you were going to be Mrs. William The Bloody!"

"WHAT?!" Angel screamed.

"Oh sure, throw that in my face!" She looked at Spike, he disgusted her.

"BUFFY?!"

She turned to Angel, and saw his face, pure rage and jealousy, "Angel, it's a long story. and one I care not to be reminded of. Spike, what. get on with the plan."

"Well, the things electrical right? Some of it anyway?"

"Yeah. get on. I'm getting really bored and when I get bored I tend to get my good stake out."

"Well, you do that mojo spell in a room and it messes up his computer thing, then we all rush him. Little Xander with an axe, you, Angel, me. and we chop him up."

"That's so stu. ya know, that's not half bad. my brain is working, work brain work, trying to figure out what's wrong with it, there's gotta be something. nope. I'm getting nothing. it's a keeper." Xander stood up, "let's do it!"

"Hey whoa! It's a good plan, but how do we know you're not working with him? Huh?"

"You don't, you have to trust me."

"That's it, I've heard enough! Get out Spike! Go tell him it's not going to work!" Buffy started to push him out the door. "Willow, get that banishing spell out, we need to use it!"

"No, wait, I swear on Dru's unlife. I swear, I'm on the level. the thing tried to rip my head off, it tried to just rip it off and it would've worked, but those commando guys showed up and zapped him a little."

"Angel? You know him better than we do, what do you think?"

"Well," he walked over to him, "I think it's okay, and if he's lying, I will personally track her down and make him watch while I burn her with holy water and turn her to dust."

"You got a deal mate." Spike sat down on the couch and grabbed a piece of pizza. "Not bad, but could use a little raw meat."

"You're a pig Spike." she sat down and looked at him. She couldn't believe she had loved him, had kissed him. "yuck." she got up and went into the kitchen for a drink. Angel followed her in.

"I'd love to know about the blessed union."

"You remember when I told you there was no force on this earth that would make me tell you about my dreams?"

"Yes."

"It's the same deal here. No force on this earth."

"OH Spike?!"

"AND IF SPIKE KNOWS WHAT'S BEST FOR HIM HE'LL KEEP HIS MOUTH SHUT TOO!" She screamed, hoping it would be enough, Angel didn't need to know.

That night Angel and Buffy went on patrol together. She held his hand and they talked and for a while it seemed almost normal. Then something went terribly wrong.

"BUFFY!?"

"Riley? What's going on? Why are you in your commando suit?"

"There's trouble! Big trouble, at the Bronze, Adam has about 50 people hostage in there. He's killing them, we just got a phone call from inside, he's got a bunch of vampires in there and they're keeping people in while Adam is killing them off. We need help, we can't get in there."

"Okay! Angel, now would be a good time for that cell phone!" She grabbed the phone and called everyone at Giles', the plan would have be moved up. Willow was going to get Tara to help with the spell and Spike and Xander were getting weapons. They would meet in an hour and hopefully not too many more would die.

"Relax blondie, is it that time of the month?"

She ignored his comment. "Then Cordelia, Xander, Anya and I go in, as soon as we're in, hit the spell. We'll take out as many vampires as possible while you do the spell. As soon as the spell works, I'm rushing Adam. Once you can, get up there too, and save any body who needs it. Everyone got it? This has got to be the biggest challenge we've ever faced."

"Okay, go get 'em tiger. I love you." She let him go and he left. He was stunned.

The two vampires scaled the building with the witches on their backs and went in through a window. The witches stayed on the top floor of the Bronze. Spike and Angel climbed down the stairs and looked around. Twenty dead at least. They saw Adam on stage with a girl. He was ripping her apart, never had he seen more blood, he didn't think that he had even taken so much into his own body. They counted the vamps, about 25, there were two at the bottom of the stairs and they were dust. The screams of the people inside drowned out the sound of the vampires' screams. Willow and Tara got into position. They put their hands facing up. They could feel the energy beginning to flow.

Buffy burst through the door and glanced at Willow. She saw them begin the chant. She looked toward Angel and Spike, they were taking out vampires left and right. Xander took two and Anya and Cordelia took two, Buffy took three. Most were now gone and she motioned to Spike and Angel. They began creeping toward the stage where a girl was now limp on the floor. She had long black hair and looked vaguely familiar to Buffy. She couldn't bare the thought it might be someone she knew.

All of a sudden their hair went on end and a light exploded from the witches corner. "NOW!" Buffy screamed and they all ran up to Adam, he tried fending them off.

"No pain! NO PAIN! I just bit the slayer and there is no pain." His mind went wild, Buffy turned toward her attacker and it was he. Her eyes filled with hate and she kicked him. He flew back and he landed on his love. He looked across the stage and saw Adam pushing the poky arm into Angel's gut. Angel had cuts on his face and gashes on his arms. Xander was trying but couldn't get close enough to Adam.

Spike stood up again. Buffy was coming at him and now Adam was right on her tail. His moment of truth.

"I don't think we can, I don't think there is anything we can do, we just have to wait."

He knew what he had to do. Buffy was coming, and right behind her was the poky thing, ready to bore a hole into her. It could be the end of the slayer that had caused him so much grief. He had decided, she would die, but as she drew close, he looked at Dru, and pushed Buffy off the stage and he felt the poky thing enter into his gut and he raised his arm as high as he could and smashed down onto the dagger and it broke off from the arm. He had successfully taken it off, although he had pushed it down his body and he fell onto his love and kissed her for what he was sure was the last time.

"MY WILL BE DONE, I CAST THEE DEMON FROM THYNE BODY!" I touched him as he began to crumble and I pulled him up. I pulled him up.

"Hello, I've been watching you for quite some time now Angel."

Buffy turned to him and touched him. She heard my gift. "Angel, your heart. it's beating, I can hear it." Her eyes filled with tears. He was stunned, he hadn't realized that his face was gone.

"What?" He stopped and realized that he was human. "I don't."

Willow was on the stage by now, "Tara?"

"Willow, everyone, let me explain. I am The Powers That Be. I have been among you for some time, watching you, making sure you are all worthy of the gifts I have given you. You have all done your work well." I turned to Angel. "You have met your challenges. You gave your humanity and a life of happiness with Buffy to save lives. You then said no to the demon inside, took away it's hold over you, took it's power away, made it weak. It was then I decided you were worthy of my gift and you have met that third challenge here tonight. You found the strength of pure love to save her. You found your humanity in saving the one you loved, with your life."

"You saved me in the hospital. You restored my heart." He spoke with respect. I had been right about him, he was worthy of my gifts.

"Yes, that was not part of my plan. So it was my first gift. You are human now, ready to age with your true love. Your souls are part of a river, they are part of you, her blood is your blood, yours is hers. That is my gift to you, your humanity, the one thing you have wanted. You have your strength, you found that as you were crumbling, that is yours to keep."

I turned to Willow, my friend. "Willow, you have done so much for me. You restored Angel's soul when I could not interfere, when I hadn't the power to, you did and so you connected me to yourself. Then you befriended me and we worked together. Your gifts will be revealed to you in due time and when needed. And for you Cordelia," I turned to her. I had not decided she was worthy until she had defended Angel, a purely unselfish act.

"Yes?"

"I am giving you your hearts desire."

"Money? A car?" She was disappointing me, but I allowed her to continue. "Because nothing matters, I have my friends here. I have what I want. If you really want to do something. maybe you could just give me my parents, the relationship I never had with them."

"Unfortunately," I said, "that is not in my power to fix, you must do that on your own." She looked disappointed, until she heard that familiar voice behind her.

"I guess we can now find out if this is a face you can love."

"DOYLE!" She spun around and she grabbed him and kissed him. I felt their love and it made me so happy, they had served me well. I had a few last gifts to give. I turned and glanced at the floor.

"William? Wake up, you're not dead, I know you're not, I won't let you. You have work to do." "What?" I reached down and took Spike's hand and pulled him up. As I did, the poker, buried deep in his stomach disappeared and he stood up.

"You surprised me tonight."

"Who the bloody hell are you?"

"SPIKE!" Buffy smacked him.

"What?"

"She's like God, she's the Powers That Be."

"The powers that be what?" he asked.

I continued, "Spike, you surprised me. Why didn't you kill Buffy? You could have, I made sure of that. So why didn't you?" I knew the answer, I wanted to see if he would confess it.

"I figured she did spare Dru before so I figured I owed her one, and her friends did get Angel away from Dru. And they did help me a little, I suppose."

"That's the only reason?"

"Yes." He looked at me and I knew he was lying. He had done it because somewhere deep inside him, he didn't want Angel to see Buffy in the same state he'd seen Drusilla in, which brought me to my gift. I bent over and touched her. I had given her a gift long ago, when she was born. I remembered touching her in her sleep, so peaceful. I needed her for the plan. I had given her visions. She had tried to use them for good, but Angel had gotten in the way of that, but he had since proved himself, as would she.

"Dru, baby?" he said as she stood up.

"Spike? Spike! I've been looking for you!" She glanced across the room and saw Angel. Spike was nervous, he didn't know what would happen. She grabbed him and kissed him. "I've missed you love."

"Spike, I hereby take away your 'impotence' shall we say?"

"Hey, powers that be or nothing, that's not a very nice word."

"Sorry, well, whatever, you are restored and you can reek havoc everywhere with your beloved. Now get out of here before I change my mind." They bolted.

"Uh, I'm sure you're a great power and all, but didn't you just set two bloody vampires free? Aren't you going against that whole I-make-the-world-a-better-place credo?" Buffy looked at me. She was confused. I smiled.

"Buffy, there exists a balance in the world between good and evil. Angel is now good. You will fight Spike and Drusilla forever, they are your evil. And besides, I like them. Well, my business here is done. Be good and know that I'll be watching you."

"Umm, I hate to be Mr. Obvious, but it seems we forgot something for Xander the valiant soldier who has put up with life on the hellmouth for three years."

"Your gift will be along in seven months, don't you worry. Oh and the child will need to be trained Buffy, you must ensure the baby's health and teach her her parents history. For she is the Chosen One and will need to be trained." I smiled and drifted away.

I loved when I was among them. When I awoke from my sleep, I remembered all I had done. And I went back to watching my children, never to walk among them again. Willow would be coming soon enough to take her place and put me to rest.

They all left the Bronze that night. She held her man tight. She couldn't wait for them to be alone together. It had been so long since she had felt him inside her, moving, losing herself in his smell. She felt his fingers, they were sweaty. She smiled.

"So, Willow, I wonder what you'll get?"

He rounded the corner. She had come to him in a dream and told him that he never had to fear hurting Willow again. "WILLOW!"

"OZ!" She ran toward him, but stopped. "Hey, it's a full moon. Where's the fur? Where's the teeth? I don't understand."

"Willow, I don't know either, but I was in the dark, last night, in a cage, that I had made and all of a sudden this woman appeared to me, she was pretty. She said that she was giving me something special. The next thing I knew it was still dark out and I was me, nothing else. It was kinda. neat."

"I think that's the most words we'll ever hear from him mouth." Buffy said.

He grabbed his girl and pressed his lips to her. She met him there and he smelled her hair, just as he remembered.

"Yeah, Xander, I've been meaning to tell you that." Anya looked at her lover. "Xander, I'm kind of pregnant."

"Huh? What? Huh?"

"I love you and we're having a baby."

"Huh?" She grabbed him and kissed him on the cheek. "How did this happen Anya?"

"Well, why don't we go to your place and I'll refresh your memory."

"Oh, that?! That!? Buffy gets a human boyfriend, even Spike gets Dru back, Willow gets a non-dog for a guy, and I get a baby? And this is justice how?"

"I think it'll take some time is all." Doyle said.

"I don't know love, why don't we just enjoy each other now?" It had been so long since he'd had a woman with him, so long since he had driven himself into his beloved Dru. Too long since he had chased her after a good hunt and shared the blood in her mouth. He smiled, blood on his lips. She lay naked between his bare legs, his arms around her, caressing her delicious skin. She twisted around and he felt her above him. She leaned up and bit his ear. She was teasing him, as she had in the past. He growled at her, jumped on top of her and dove into her. She scratched his back while he trust deep into her core.

"Oh Spike!" she squealed with delight as she bit into his skin and tasted his blood splash into her mouth. She was home.

"Yeah Cordy?"

"Don't ever do it again, promise me."

"I promise. Ya know what my feeling is? This is a great story but."

"What?" Angel smiled at him, he knew what was coming.

"It needs a little sex is my feelin'." Doyle said with a laugh.

"Funny, I was just thinking that." Angel said as he grabbed Buffy and dove into her mouth with his tongue.

"Rupert? What if the kids were to."

"Shhh, Joyce, be quiet, they'll understand. We're in love."

"Sorry, but I had to."

"And you had to give the splitting migraines? What a great parting gift?"

"You told me to give it back."

"Back, not away! Not to me!" She tried being mad, but he knew her too well. He grabbed her and she was happier than she had ever been. They walked along the streets of Sunnydale and talked about everything. He told her about his childhood and his parents.

They watched the sun rise and he turned to her, "now how's about that sex?"

"Doyle. I hardly know you."

"Oh, you're gonna be like that now are you? All sad because Doyle died and now not willing to." she pulled his lips to hers and smiled.

She puts her hands on his face, "Shhh. I love you Doyle." She'd never been so happy.

"Well, where do we go from here Angel?" Buffy looked at him, his cheeks flush.

"Well, I'm kind of hungry."

"Yeah, but for what?"

"You." He tried to pull her close to him, but she bolted and he chased her.

Where was she going? He ran after her, but he knew where she was going. He took a shortcut and she got to the door, just as he dove in front of it. She smiled. He opened the door. It seemed like ages since he'd been there. The last time he really remembered was when he'd made love to her and had left her. For the past year, all he could was think about her fingers on his back. Her breath, her moans as he twisted and turned inside her. He let go of her hand, as he walked into the room.

"Been a while, huh?" His voice broke the silence and he turned to her.

She knew what he was going to say. She remembered what he had said to her. She had been crying and he got dressed and left her.

"Angel, it was a while ago, a lifetime, it's over."

"It's just got some bad memories, some really bad."

"It's got a really good one too, and it's about to get some more."

"Oh yeah?" his somber brooding stare turned to a smile. "What did you have in mind?"

"Well, the way I figure I have at least 240 years of serious happiness to make up to you, so I figure we'll be here for like a year, at least, making love."

"Well, we'll get hungry?"

"We'll order in."

"What about our restored bloody nemeses? Spike is bound to unearth something disgusting to get you back."

"Well, we'll deal, we always do, but I have a feeling that he's a little tied up," he giggled, "you laugh, but you know it's probably true." She laughed too.

He couldn't stand it anymore. He grabbed her. He pulled her mouth to his. His pulse quickened and he felt alive. He parted her lips with his tongue. She answered his desire and he tore at her shirt and she grabbed his too. In less than a minute, they were naked and his mouth was all over her body, exploring every crevice. He kissed her neck where he had taken her life into his body. He kissed her there more than anywhere else. Her hands were all over his body, touching him, feeling his warmth. She drove him crazy, crazy with the need to be inside her, to bury himself within her warmth. He picked her up and carried her to the bed. He laid her down and buried his head between her legs, kissing her thighs. He longed to taste the pleasures and sins only she possessed.

She ran her fingers through his hair while he teased her with his tongue. He spread her legs slightly with his hand and moved it inside, she arched her back to allow him entry. Ecstasy! There was no other word for it. She called his name and he moaned back to her. She couldn't stand it any longer, he was tormenting her, denying her what she wanted. She made her move, she pulled his head up to her mouth and flipped him over. She thrust herself on top of him, forcing him to enter inside her, moaning as she felt him fill her.

He knew what she wanted, and he obliged by flipping her over and thrusting inside deeper yet. He couldn't get enough, he couldn't be close enough to her. As he entered inside her, he remembered the warmth that he had found there. She wrapped her legs around his hips, pulling him deeper. He was answering her cries for more. Her hands were all over, her fingers grazed along his back, played with his hair. Her hands were around him trying to pull him inside more. Her nails pressed into his skin slightly, and down his back.

His mouth found hers and she answered his passion with her own desire. Their bodies meshed and matched perfectly. They moved in unison. He moved quicker now and she felt the explosion of energy, the warm rush enter inside. His life, inside her, as hers was in him. He dropped on top of her, riding out the waves of emotions that were still rushing within him. He rested, layin on top of her. She wanted to stay there forever. She didn't want him to leave her, she wanted to have him warm inside her. His breath steadied as did hers and the waves of energy slowed. He withdrew from within and fell next to her on the bed. She nestled into his side and his arm engulfed her. She felt safe.

She was quiet. She was trying to control her breathing. Something was wrong. She was crying.

"Buffy? Are you okay? Did I hurt you? Did I. did I go too far?"

"Oh, Angel." she said, fighting back the tears, "It's just that, that I can hear your heart beating. As long as I live, I'll never forget the steadiness and the joy of that sound. I'll never forget." She put her head to his chest and pressed her ear down. Her hands caressed his stomach. He knew she wouldn't forget, that she hadn't. They were connected, a part of her was inside him, forever.

"Oh." He smiled and pulled her closer to him. She was his, the Powers That Be had said so, had made everything worth it, all the pain, all the agony, worth it. "Buffy, I figure I don't have to ask you this, but marry me. Let me take this ring and make if official, make you permanently mine."

"Well. I don't know. it's tough being the slayer, I don't know how we'd pull it off, of course we'll probably have a few vampires crash the wedding, so I don't know if it's really worth all the trouble."

"Well, we can have a ceremony outside. Say at noon?" He kissed her forehead.

"Oh, that's right, I hadn't thought about that. Okay."

"Okay what?"

"Of course I'll marry you, and I have always been yours Angel. My beloved Angel."

"You're wrong Buffy. It's you, who is mine."