Memories From a Forgotten Day

by Mariah

Part Eight

Cordelia headed to Angel's office once she saw he was back. She couldn't wait to hear what happened.

"Hey!" she peered inside. "I didn't see you come in."

He looked up at her and smiled. "That's probably because you were elsewhere."

"Right," she nodded, "bathroom. Hey.what happened to you?" Cordelia looked confused.

"What happened to me?" Angel didn't understand what she meant.

"You're.smiling, you're happy? How's that?"

Angel kept grinning at something on his knees.

"What you got there?" Cordelia asked.

He stood up and walked around the desk with Sky in his arms. "What do you think?" he showed her to Cordelia. "Isn't she gorgeous?"

Cordy's eyes opened wide. "Is this?."

"Yeah," he affirmed with a grin, "isn't this amazing? I've never been so happy in my life. It's like.I have all I always wanted." He offered Sky to Cordelia. "You want to hold her?"

The brunette faltered. "Are you sure?"

"Of course. But be careful, and support her head. She's so small.and fragile, I've never seen anyone like her." He put Sky in Cordy's arms. "I mean.I've seen babies, but never one like her. She's extraordinary," he brushed Sky's cheek with his finger and she reached out to grip it.

"It's written 'Dad' all over you," Cordelia perceived. "By the way, you two do look alike, I got to admit, and she does have your eyes," she glanced at Angel and then back at Sky, "your eyes exactly," she confirmed.

"I don't even remember how I look like," Angel remarked, with a scarce dejection in his tone.

"Well, then you're gonna have to take my word for it," she declared cheerfully. "She's so cute! I wonder if one day I'll have one of those."

"Why wouldn't you? Don't you want children?"

"Want.'want' is a relative term. No. I mean.I do, I want.one day. It's just that kids are a big to do, especially nowadays, when this trivial necessity of actually having a job becomes less and less trivial. I guess I'm not sure if I'm ready.or ever be."

"I always wanted children. Well, not always, but," he sighed, the faraway look in his eyes traveling back to the past, "I remember, it was a few months after I had regained my soul, I was already in America then. I think.it was spring of eighteen-ninety-one. In any case, I was in the streets, and I heard a baby's cry emitting from a pram by a bakery, and I went there to see what happened. Before I even got there, I descried a young man, in his twenties, coming out of the bakery, taking that baby in his arms and quelling it, until it stopped crying, and then they walked away. That second, the fact that I myself could never have kids, go through all of those unforgettable moments, like holding my baby.it struck me," his eyes filled with sadness, and he cast them on his little daughter. "I hated my whole existence that moment. After spending over a century in torturing and murdering children among others, I wanted so much to hold one of my own, and I knew I never could." Angel gazed at Sky and took her from Cordelia into his arms. He hugged her close to his heart, as if repairing for all those countless years when he had yearned so much to hold her, but he couldn't. "And then I saw Buffy," he peered at Sky, grinning, "and I fell in love with her. I thought to myself - this is the girl I want to live my life with. For the first time in centuries, I had the musing of a mortal. I thought - her I want to marry, have her children and grow old with her. And at the same time, I knew I couldn't ever do any of those things. I could never marry her, because she would never want anything to do with me once she knew what I was, I couldn't bring her children because I couldn't have any and I couldn't grow old with her, because I couldn't grow old. But she wanted to be with me, despite what I was. She could look into my soul.and love me. One time, I don't know why, but I thought I should let her know I couldn't have kids. She didn't seem to care at all. She said, all she could see in her future was I. It felt wonderful to hear that from her, I felt like a whole man again. And then Sky was born, and now I'm sure more than ever that I will be able to consummate what I wanted almost four years ago when I first saw Buffy; I will be able to share my life with her and our daughter."

Cordelia contemplated for a moment. "I see your point, but that's a whole other story with me," she shrugged. "I mean, look at Buffy, she discovered she was carrying Sky, and she was all alone at the time. Not only alone, you made it seem like you deserted her. Nevertheless, she gave birth to her, when she could not to. You know why? I think you do. In her heart, she trusted you, she KNEW you'd be there for her, no matter what. She has had a blind faith in you, she knew you'd never leave her alone or deny her, and she appeared to be right," the brunette smiled, "you never did. You never would, that's just the thing with you two, you're only right when you're together. She wants the same things you do, that's why it's so easy. I can't handle a kid, especially not alone. I gotta find a guy I can trust at least half as much as Buffy trusts you, preferably married to me, and then there's a chance. It's clearly not the same in your and Buffy's case, because you're committed to each other enough even without the formality of marriage. In fact, you are more committed than many married couples I know, and I know what I'm talking about. It might surprise you, but it turns out that the only perfect guys in today's world are undead, if you get the picture," she finished with a pointing grin.

Angel smiled. "You will find someone right for you one day."

"Or...I will find someone I'll have to settle for, cuz I won't have any other choice," Cordelia offered.

"With that kind of an attitude, you just might," he taunted her.

"Oh, yeah, look who's talking, Mr-Lucky-I-have-all-I-ever-wanted. You just glanced at her and already swore you'd be hers forever."

"And I am," Angel beamed.

"And I rest my case," Cordelia chuckled.

"Look, I'm sure Buffy and I weren't ready right away."

"In which alternate reality was that?" she quipped.

"What I mean is that we didn't see it coming. We lived under the assumption it wasn't possible. In spite of that, I speak for both of us when I say Sky is the best thing that has ever happened to us. And as far as the formality goes," Angel cautiously moved Sky to his right arm, reposing her head on his shoulder. With his left hand he reached into his pocket, pulled out a small box and gave it to Cordelia.

She shot him a puzzled gaze.

"I've been saving it ever since.well, I was going to ask Buffy at the prom, which of course didn't turn out as planned. But I don't want any more annulments, I'll ask her tomorrow. I only hope she'll say 'yes'."

Cordy examined the diamond ring. "Oh, man.her 'yes' is in your pocket.metaphorically speaking. Trust me," she guarantied. "It would have been cool though, if you had asked her at the prom. Too bad it didn't work out."

"Yeah," he sighed.

"Well, but now it will," Cordelia grinned. "Buy the way, isn't it supposed to be nap time for some of us?"

Angel beamed, glancing at the baby in his arms. "Obviously not. Buffy says it's one of the aspects she inherited from me."

"The vampirism?"

"No," he laughed, "the sleeping schedule. She just likes to sleep more during the day than during the night. She definitely gives Buffy a hard time with it."

"See? One more reason why you're handy to have around," she patted Sky's back. "She's a great kid, Angel, really. You know, maybe you should take the night off? I'll close up. You go and spend some time with her."

"You wouldn't mind?"

Cordelia smiled. "Just go before I change my mind. Say 'Hi' to Buffy."

"Who told you I was going to." Cordelia made him her 'Do you think me for an idiot?' face and he smiled in return. "Okay."

Cordy was right, the first thing Angel did was to go back to Buffy's. He resolved he wanted her to move in with him tonight. He stopped being reasonable, he just wanted to have this night spent with her, after too many nights he had spent without her. And since he knew her better than anyone, he figured she was awake even though he had told her to rest.

To his surprise, Hank opened the door. "Angel?" he obviously hadn't expected to find the vampire on his doorstep.

"Hello," something seemed wrong to Angel, "is Buffy still asleep?" he asked.

"What do you mean? I thought she was with you."

Angel's puzzlement shifted into anxiety. "What do you mean, with me? She's not with me, I came here now because I thought she wasn't sleeping so that she could move in with me tonight."

"Well, she did," Buffy's father nodded.

Angel gawked at him in confusion. "What?"

"You obviously think alike too," the man observed, "a while after you had taken Sky and left, she woke up, packed everything and said she was going to Angel's."

"And you just let her go alone?!" the vampire couldn't believe it.

"Well, I gave her the car, why are you so worried?"

"She never got to me. If she had, I wouldn't have come to look for her here," Angel turned around and strode to his car.

"Where are you going?" Hank yelled after him.

"To my apartment. She could be there," Angel yelled over his shoulder.

"I'm coming too," Hank hurried after him.

Part Nine

To their relief, they discovered Buffy in the apartment, drowsing on the sofa, with an open journal under her hand.

"She must have fallen asleep while reading," Angel observed inaudibly. He passed Sky over to Hank and stalked to Buffy. He carefully removed the journal from under her hand and scooped her in his arms.

"Could you open the door for me, please?" he asked Hank, gesticulating with his head in the direction of the bedroom.

Hank did as asked and let Angel into the room.

The vampire reposed Buffy on one side of the bed, then he removed the cover and made the other side, and moved her there.

"I see you don't need me, so I'll be gone," Hank informed. "I'll put Sky in her crib."

"Alright," Angel replied abstractly.

After he had heard the door closing behind Hank, he carefully disrobed Buffy from her shoes and dress and covered her.

"Angel?" he heard her somnolent voice.

"Right here," he sat down beside her.

"I antedated the moving," the Slayer clarified.

"So I noticed," he smiled. "I'll check on Sky and be right with you."

"Okay," she yawned, "Angel.I brought her cradle.I put it in the other room."

"I know," he smiled, "I'll be right back."

"Okay," she closed her eyes and fell back asleep.

A minute later, he came back, undressed, and climbed into the bed by her side.

Buffy rotated to him and smiled. "Hello, stranger," she whispered.

Angel grinned back and kissed her lips, taking her into his arms. "God, I missed that," he whispered, brushing her back with his fingertips, "I missed you."

"Me too," Buffy reclined her head on his chest and kissed it gently, "what you make me feel. Just by being in the same room with me, you make me feel.alive. You make me fly. You know, tonight when you came to me, the moment you touched me, I knew it was you, it was YOUR touch that I could never forget. I felt in Heaven that moment, Angel. I thought I was dreaming again."

Angel enfolded her tightly in his arms. "You remember that morning, a couple of days before your prom? I kept rerunning it in my head over and over since it had happened. I recall how I woke up that morning, and saw you sleeping in my arms. Then, I thought I was in Heaven, it just looked too perfect to be real. There were so many times since then, that I didn't want to fall asleep, because I wasn't in your arms anymore."

"And I didn't want to wake up, because I knew that once I open my eyes, your face will no longer be the first thing I see," Buffy completed him. "I also kept rewinding that morning, it was supposed to take me through the rest of my life. At least I thought so, up until tonight," she beamed up at him, "I remember how I woke up in your arms, and you smiled at me."

Angel laughed. "And you worried that your hair didn't look good."

Buffy chuckled. "Yeah. And you just smiled and told me I looked perfect. You know, even though there was no sunshine, I could swear it was shining down on you that moment," she reached her hand up to his cheek, "that was when I realized I wanted to wake up by your side for the rest of my life."

"Me too," Angel kissed her crown lightly, sadness suddenly entering his eyes, "and in the same night I shattered both of our worlds."

Buffy wound her arms around his neck. "And God knows I desperately tried to hate you for that. Instead, I loved you even more, knowing the enormous sacrifice you had made for me, and that it wasn't only my heart that you had broken. But it doesn't matter anymore," she smiled, looking up at him, "it suddenly feels so good to fall asleep, and to wake up."

"Because now I know that you will take me through it," Angel finished for her.

Buffy took his hand and kissed it. "Loneliness doesn't look so scary once it doesn't exist," she observed.

"I know," Angel smiled, "good night, my love."

"Good night."

Buffy curled up on his chest and he hugged her tighter, taking her into her sleep, and even though he wasn't so tired, falling himself into the most careless sleep he'd had in months.

Angel found himself in a middle of a white mist, descrying two images of a man and a woman emerging from it and gracefully pacing over to him. He recognized them at once. "What was I summoned for?" he demanded.

"You truly don't know?" the man inquired.

"I wouldn't have asked if I had."

"But I think you do," the man insisted.

"It is the girl," the woman clarified.

"Buffy?" Angel's heart filled with fear for the upcoming. "What danger is she in?"

"You," the woman said simply.

"What do you mean 'me'? I would never."

"You simply don't understand or refuse to do so," the man observed. "We warned you a year ago, to leave her alone unless you wanted her dead, and so you did - up to tonight. Why have you come back? If you claim to love her as much as you do, why have you come back?"

"It's because I love her, that I've come back," Angel justified, "I am no longer a danger to her. I have my strength to protect her now, I'm not as helpless as I was as a mortal."

"You are a danger to her, don't you understand?" the woman spoke resolvedly. "Your existence alone endangers hers, and now also the infant's, are you so desperate to have them both dead? We have the power to behold the future. If you stay with them and disobey us again - they will die. Have you forgotten what you are?"

Angel swallowed hard. "The curse has been revoked."

"The peril is no longer in the curse, now your state is even more delicate than it was when you had the curse. Then, you had something to contain the demon within you from being unleashed, now you have nothing, now you can never know which of what you do can bring Angelus forth anew."

Angel began to lose his temper. "You're absolutely right," he snapped, forgetting who he was talking to, "there is no curse, because I don't need a curse, I have you two as my curse! Why should I have a curse on me to keep me from being really happy, if I have you showing up just in time whenever I finally am, just so you can screw it up?!"

"You are not to be with her," the man asseverated, not at all impressed. "Leave, and forever this time, let them live their lives in peace. Why do you refuse to accept you are not good for them? You weren't meant to be happy. Your purpose on this earth is to serve our purposes, not to have those of your own. You put at risk the lives of those you declare to care for the most, and yet you won't stay away!"

"What do you want? What can I give you? The last time it was my humanity you took away, and I gave it to you. What can I give you now? I have nothing, there is nothing but my life that you can possibly take, unless.this has been your wish all along," his voice faded off as everything drowned upon him at once. "Will this assure their safety, then?" he asked the Oracles. "Me being gone?"

Both male and female were soundless.

Angel woke up and opened his eyes. "Then this is what it takes," he comprehended. He mindfully loosened Buffy's grip on him and got out of the bed.

"Angel? What happened?" he heard her asking when he was on his way out of the room. He wished she hadn't woken up. "Nothing," he promised, "everything's alright."

The Slayer glanced at the clock. "It's already dawn," she pointed.

"I know. Don't worry, from now on, everything will be alright," he walked towards her and kissed her, "I promise you."

An odd sensation of fear took over Buffy. "I love you," she said.

Angel felt like crying. "I love you," he replied, "now, go back to sleep."

He started leaving the room when he heard her again. "Come back soon," she whispered.

The vampire couldn't respond, he just hastened to leave the room. He knew that if he stayed one more minute, he'd break.

Shortly after, Angel stepped outside into the dawning day. He felt the sunlight warming his cold skin. At first it felt pleasant.alive. Then he didn't feel anything.

Part Ten

When Buffy woke up a few hours later, Angel wasn't anywhere in sight. She found it strange.and scary. She completely panicked after she had searched the whole apartment for him and didn't find him anywhere, and the sun was already high in the sky. The first thing she came up with was to call Cordelia.

The Slayer didn't manage to squeeze out one word before her friend's drowsy greeting. "Angel, just for the record, this is my day off, and it's 8AM. Get a life." And she hang up.

Buffy redialed, and this time spoke fast. "Don't hang up!" she said as Cordelia picked up.

"Buffy? What's the what? It's morning for some people, you know."

"Angel is gone."

Cordelia seemed to be listening. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that he's not here, the Slayer explained. "I woke up and he wasn't there."

"So you reflexively thought he'd be in my place? Well, he was last night, but you shouldn't have called us then. You know, we were kinda busy," Cordelia quipped.

But Buffy didn't have time for that. "Cordelia, be serious for one moment, the sun is up and he's not home. I'm kinda going crazy here."

The brunette sighed. "Umm.okay, have you checked if his car's in the driveway?"

"Yes, it is. He didn't take the car.wherever he is."

"Look, I," she groaned, "whatever, I'm coming over. I'll jump to the office on my way to see if he's there. By the way, when he does show up, he's gonna pay me over hours."

"Thanks," Buffy didn't sound amused at all, "bye."

"Sure," Cordelia hanged up.

Thirty minutes later, Cordelia arrived.

"Not a sign yet?" she queried.

Buffy was eaten with concern by now. "No," she shook her head.

"Look, first of all, relax," Cordelia put her hands on her friend's shoulders, "wherever he is, I'm sure he's safe."

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Cordelia, incase that little fact slipped your mind, it's day now, and he's not home. Where, but here, can he be safe?"

"Have you checked on the kid?" the Brunette gesticulated with her head towards the baby's room.

"I've been to her room, he's not there."

"No, I mean that I hear her cry.I think."

They both listened carefully. Cordelia was right.

"I'll go see what it is." Buffy left to check on Sky.

She returned after a while, holding an envelope in her one hand, her face deathly pale.

"What's up?" Cordelia inquired.

"It's.from Angel," Buffy handed her the envelope, "I found it in Sky's crib."

"Well, what does it say?"

"I haven't opened it yet," Buffy seemed to be scared to do so.

"There's something in here," Cordy groped the envelope, "a jewelry of some kind. Open it," she tossed it back to the Slayer.

With trembling fingers, Buffy tore the envelope. She found inside Angel's Claddagh ring, a dainty golden chain with a golden angel dangling from it, and a letter. Buffy started reading it to herself.

"My love,

You've probably noticed my absence by now. I'm so sorry about it, Buffy, but I didn't have a choice. I had to choose between your and Sky's lives and my own. It didn't require much thinking. And the Oracles have made it very clear - I endanger those I love most for as long as I live. I'm sorry. I don't want you to cry, please, don't cry, I love you so much. I had to do this. Also, never think it's your fault. It's my choice and my decision entirely, and I did what I thought was right, and it was right. In the future, maybe you'll understand. I hope you will find it in your heart to forgive me.

I left you my ring. Keep it, you're the one person it has always belonged to, just like its wearer. I know you'll keep it safe for me. I love you, honey.

The angel is for Sky. Once she's old enough to understand, and to know it all, give it to her. Please, Buffy, tell her about me, tell her her daddy loved her, that she was his little angel. Tell her I never wanted to hurt her, I never wanted to hurt either of you.

It won't take long in the sunlight, it won't be painful. It is the right thing to do, it will keep you safe. I can only hope you'll understand, and that you won't forget me.

I will always love you."

Tears cascaded down Buffy's cheeks, silent tears that in no time turned into wailing. "No.no!" she cried as she leaned against the wall, still denying what could not be reversed. "No," she kept reprising.

Cordelia took the letter from her and read it. Her own eyes also filled with tears as she was done.

"I'm so sorry," she moaned and hugged Buffy in a dull attempt to comfort.

"It isn't happening," the blonde kept sobbing, "it's just a nightmare, a cruel.atrocious nightmare. It isn't real. I'll wake up and he'll be there.to hold me. It isn't real.oh, God!" she embraced Cordelia tighter.

"I'm sorry. Buffy, I'm so sorry," she brushed her back. "It'll be okay. I promise, one day.it'll be okay." Hearing Buffy's whimpers made it harder to believe it than to say it. Furthermore, Cordelia also lost someone dear to her. Still, she thanked God she wasn't in Buffy's shoes.

Buffy recoiled from her and went to Sky's room. Cordelia trailed behind her.

Buffy lifted Sky in her arms as they both cried. Buffy had never heard her cry like that. Obviously, she felt what had happened. Buffy wore the necklace around the baby's neck and she clinched it with her chubby little hands.

"It's from your daddy," the Slayer tried to form words through the tears. "He loved you, honey. You were his little angel," she hugged Sky to her shoulder, bringing her free hand to her face, to cover her eyes. The infant started bawling even louder.

Cordelia took them both into her arms.

"It's a nightmare," Buffy kept disputing, "it's a nightmare."

"It's okay," Cordelia knew no other way to comfort her, not that this one was bringing any results.

"I need you, Angel," Buffy sobbed, "I love you.this isn't happening," she kept crying against Cordelia's shoulder, clasping Angel's ring in her fist.

Again, Angel was before the two Oracles. "What do you want?" he asked in a broken voice. "I gave you all I had, why am I here now? I'm supposed to be dead, remember?"

"Reach your hand into your pocket," the woman said.

Angel did it and pulled out the box with the engagement ring.

"Who are you planning on giving it to now?" the man asked. "Is it to her?" he waved his hand and a smoggy cloud emerged, divulging Buffy sobbing, holding a crying baby.

The vampire reached out his hand to touch them, but it merely permeated through the disintegrating fog. "This is what you wanted."

Angel's eyes filled with tears as he replayed that picture in his mind. "Isn't this enough for you?" he bellowed. "Aren't you happy? For someone who possesses the power to mold people's fates to fit your taste, you're doing a Hell of a job!"

"What we wanted was merely to test you," the man explained.

"Really?" Angel seemed like he was going to kill them any moment now. "Did I pass?"

"Yes, in fact," the woman proclaimed.

"We tested your devotion. 'Love', as you humans call it."

"I'm not human, especially not now. Now, I really am.nothing," Angel remarked.

"Let it be, then," the man was annoyed by him. "We don't necessitate to our services someone whose heart is elsewhere."

"I wonder if you ever loved anyone who wasn't your own ego," Angel affronted. He had no reasons to fear them anymore.

The man turned to the woman. "You deal with that lower being, perhaps he'd listen to you."

The woman sighed, looking at Angel. "You have done plenty to serve us, and to amend the sins of your past. Enough to proclaim forgiveness, which you never did. In fact, you have never asked for anything saving to live your life with that mortal girl, the Slayer. On the other hand, you were a weighty asset for us; we couldn't afford to lose you. But we saw we had no choice, when ever since you two lost that one day of your humanity, you were useful to us no more. Your heart and mind were elsewhere," she beamed knowingly, "they were with her. You discarded to all you're here to do. You assume we are only capable of hurting people."

"You hurt me and those I love more than enough to establish that assumption," Angel cut in.

"But you are wrong. As I said, we cannot use one that devoted to something, in your case someone, else. You were too important for us to lose you, therefore we had to test you first, to see how sure were you of your choice. From this moment on, you are free to go. You have never asked us for anything, part for her life, which you paid for with yours. Now it is our turn to give, without asking for something in return. We give you your life, your humanity, back, and you are also to keep your strength. We send you back, erasing another span of time, to live the life you are truly here to live. We have mistaken clearly planning your destiny, it has already been sealed. Your fate is with her."

Angel gazed at her with incredulity mixed with endless gratefulness, as her words penetrated his conscious.

"Live as a lower being, a trifling mortal, for the rest of your life, but remain a Warrior for our cause," the male Oracle told him. "This is what you want and what truly makes you happy. It replies to all your wishes. There was never a danger to you, nor to her. As you were told, it all was part of a test. You have passed, and proved yourself beyond our expectations. Go to her, she will remember. Fight the good fight together. You will never be summoned again."

Part Eleven

A white light flashed in Angel's face and his eyes flapped open, as he sprung up in bed, gasping for air.

Buffy woke up and gazed at him with concern. "Angel, what is it?" she shook him by the shoulders until he came back to himself, and concentrated on her. She put her palm on his cheek in concern. "Did you have a nightmare?"

Angel only beamed, and removed her palm from his cheek to his chest, watching her countenance's variation from agitated to overwhelmed.

"Angel," she whispered, "I felt your heart beat. I felt your heart beat.I remember!" she exclaimed anxiously. "I remember! These dreams I was having, they were real. It all.it all really happened, it was real!" Abruptly, fear covered her face. "Oh, God. We have another moment.it's just one more moment until it's all gone again."

He didn't let her finish, shushing her with a soft kiss on her faltering lips. "It's forever now, my love," he promised, "permanent. I'm human, and this time it's for good. No one will take any more days from us, we will never be parted again."

Buffy leaned into his embrace, not moving her ear from his heart. "It's the most perfect sound," she whispered as he enclosed his arms around her, "an unforgettable one."

Angel climbed out of the bed and pulled Buffy after him to the window. He removed the blinds, and let the sunshine fill the room.

Buffy stroked his cheek gently and gazed up at him. "It's shining all over you," she observed, with barely noticed disbelief in her voice, "and you look so perfect."

Angel let go of her and paced toward the chair where his slacks were hanged. He returned with a small box in his hand and kneeled in front of Buffy. "I wanted to do this ever since the prom, when I first planned to ask you." He kissed her hand and opened the box to show her the ring. "Would you.honor me with becoming my wife? And letting me make you the happiest woman on earth?"

Buffy smiled down at him. She seemed to be waiting forever for him to ask that question, the only answer possible had been readied long ago. "Yes," she verbalized it, and watched as Angel put the diamond ring on her finger. "I can't wait to tell you 'I do'," she whispered.

"I do too," Angel beamed at her.

Buffy pulled him up to his feet and he enclosed his arms around her waist.

"May I now kiss the bride?" he asked.

She smiled and ascended on her tiptoes to meet his lips in at first tender and then passionate kiss, lightened by the morning sun.

"You know, I was thinking," Buffy pondered later in bed, "will we have like.a honeymoon?"

"Sure, we will," Angel replied. "Why, you want to go somewhere specific?"

Buffy cuddled in his lap. "Frankly, I have no idea."

"I'll take you everywhere you want to go, just name the spot. But you know what?" he glanced at her. "I thought that maybe, among all the other places, I will take you to see Ireland. If you want, of course."

Buffy grinned. "Of course, I do."

"Really?"

"Of course," she took his hand, "I want to see the places where you grew up."

"I think they have changed a little since then," Angel joked.

Buffy laughed. "You know what I mean. It'll be nice."

"Okay," Angel pulled her closer.

"I was wondering," Buffy contemplated, "what we're gonna do after the wedding, and the honeymoon, when it'll really start 'us time', and I can't think of anything."

"Really?" he cocked a brow. "Well, then in that case, allow me. I have it all planned."

"You do?" Buffy peered up at him. "Wanna share it with me?"

"I see no reason why not. Once we're back from our honeymoon, and once we're settled down, you're going back to school. That's my plan for the next four years."

Buffy gave him a look. "Thank you, dad."

Angel combed his fingers through her golden hair. "Buffy, I never want you to think that marrying to me in any way puts your entire future on hold. I want you to have one."

But the Slayer still played the mistreated little girl. "But why does college have to be anywhere in it?"

"It is the higher education that grants you the opportunity for a future, yes."

"But I don't want to," she pouted, "I want to spend my time with you."

Angel smiled. "You will, but you also have your own life to think about."

"Forgive me for not being a big college fan," she groaned.

"Buffy, I want nothing but the best for you. Don't you know that by now?"

"I do," she kissed him, "I do know, it's just that.I don't know. I don't know what's the point. What will I get from spending four years in college? Do you actually think that my destiny will leave me time to run a carrier?"

"Of course, it will. Don't you want to have a future? Don't you want to wake up one day and say, 'I'm someone'? This is what college is all about."

"I am someone. 'The Chosen One' AKA 'the Slayer', remember?"

"You honestly want to tell me you want nothing more of your life? Don't you wish to be more?"

Buffy smiled in recognition. "Okay, school it is. But for now, can I suggest an alternative?"

"Go ahead," Angel grinned.

"How about.we started practicing on bringing Sky a little brother or sister?" she climbed on top of him and wound her arms around his neck. "We don't have to actually produce a brother or a sister, not that I'm so against having one or two more, but for now I'd prefer us focusing on the process itself. We're kinda rusty in that department."

Angel smiled and pressed her against him. "You think?"

"I'm sure," Buffy kissed him. "You see? I'm doing it all wrong. You will just have to show me how it's done all over again."

Angel rolled her down to the bed and positioned himself on top of her. He kissed a trail from her breasts up to her lips and tarried there. "How was that for a start?" he inquired seductively.

Buffy just pulled him back into a fervent kiss.

Part Twelve

"Will!" Buffy detected her friend ahead of her and yelled out her name.

Willow instantly revolved and after a brief incredulous stare ran into a hug.

"It's so great to see you!" she burst out as they let go. "I haven't heard from you in maybe a month! Were you hiding from me or something?"

"I wanted to surprise you," Buffy beamed slyly.

"What do you mean?"

"Angel, Sky and I moved back to Sunnydale a little less than a month ago. Angel bought the mansion and we had to renovate it to make it more living appropriate, so we haven't moved officially until a couple of days ago. What do you think?"

"Buffy, this is great!" Willow hugged her again. "But what are you doing here?"

"Enjoying my first day as a freshman all over again, the end of it to be exact. How's that for a reason?"

"Great. Angel doesn't mind that you're back at school?"

"Will, Angel was the one who pushed me back to school, although now that I think about it, I would have come back ultimately anyway. Well, how are you? How's life with Oz?" she grinned knowingly.

Willow grinned back. "Better than ever, even though we're NOT married. And you are!" she exclaimed. "And to Angel! This is all so great, it's just like it should be! You know what I did yesterday? I was going through my old diaries, and I found one excerpt there that was perfect for how things turned out."

"What was it about?"

"Remember that day.according to my diary, it was a few days after you had met Angel for the first time. We went to the mall, and you started window shopping, and you stopped by."

"A wedding gown! I can't believe I remember it, it seems to be like ages ago."

"Yep. And who did you say you were thinking about when I asked you?" Willow prompted.

Buffy beamed. "The same one that eventually got to kiss me in a gown. God, I can't believe it, we were like what.sixteen, back then?"

"Well, I have to agree, it's not that common among the sixteen-years-olds to know what they want from their future, yet there are exceptions. Well, how are they? How's Angel, and Sky?"

"They're great. Could you believe she started walking a couple of weeks ago? It's pretty weird, insomuch as me starting walking when I was almost two. Angel, of course, doesn't remember. But then, she was born strong, nothing to say here."

"It really is unusual. She isn't a year old, is she?"

"No," Buffy shook her head, "but you haven't seen the half of it yet."

"What's the other half?"

"She talks. And I mean actual words. It was a week ago or so, Angel and I were sitting on the couch, and she was on the rug, playing with her stuffed animals and suddenly she approaches us, and says 'mommy daddy'. You should have seen our faces that moment," the Slayer's eyes sparkled with pride.

"Hey!" Willow nudged Buffy. "Maybe you have a Super Baby?"

Buffy laughed. "Well, then we're about to have another one."

Willow looked stunned. "You mean."

"Angel and I have been suspecting for a while already, but we weren't sure. Anyway, I had a doctor appointment this morning to be sure. There's another bun in the oven. Angel's picking me up today, so he should be here any moment," Buffy glanced at her watch, "I can't wait to tell him, he's gonna be thrilled."

"What about you?"

"Oh, I already am," Buffy beamed, "but with Angel it's.he has been repenting for not being there when I was pregnant with Sky, so now he probably won't let me out of his sight.and not that you will hear me complaining."

"Buffy, this is amazing! I'm so happy for you two!" Willow pulled her into another hug.

"What'd they do?" Xander queried, approaching the women with Riley by his side.

"Buffster!" he hugged her. "Welcome back to school!"

"Hi, Buffy," Riley smiled.

"Hey, guys," she replied.

Xander stood in front of her and examined her frame. "May I point that.you look great?" he concluded.

"Not for long, I don't," she grinned mischievously.

"She's about to have another baby!" Willow blurted out.

"Another one?" Xander disbelieved. "Don't you two ever rest? You still look great."

"Be careful, Xan," Buffy forewarned playfully, "I'm a married woman."

Xander tittered. "Oh, yes! The Dead-Boy who scored again, how is he? How's the kid?"

"You're married?" Riley queried. It seemed he had been left out lately.

"And may I add, happily? To the man I love," she showed them the ring.

Xander scrutinized it. "He doesn't spare expenses, I can tell you that."

"Like you haven't seen it before," Buffy giggled and glimpsed down at the parking lot, "and here he is."

Angel was standing there, with Sky holding his hand. Buffy waved at them and as soon as Sky spotted her, she started pulling her father in that direction.

"Hi," Angel greeted everyone.

"Dead-Boy!" Xander quipped. "Long time no seen!"

Angel smirked at him, used to his wisecracks.

Buffy embraced him and they kissed.

"There are kids here," Xander bantered.

Buffy stopped the kiss but remained in Angel's embrace. "Yeah, and their name is Xander," she retorted. "Get over yourself." The Slayer lifted her daughter in her arms and gave her a warm kiss on the cheek. "Missed me, honey?" she asked her.

"Mommy!" Sky pronounced and embraced Buffy.

Xander was astonished. "Hey, isn't she too young to."

"Not my girl," Angel said proudly and brushed Sky's back.

Buffy turned Sky's attention to the people around her. "These are your aunt Willow and uncle Xander. Remember them?"

The girl eyed them for a few moments. "Hello," she said shyly.

Buffy reposed her back on the ground and turned to Angel. "Angel, this is Riley," she motioned towards the other man, "this is my husband, Angel," she presented him to Riley.

As Angel heard the name, he impulsively reinforced his grip on his wife and she collaborated willingly. The two men exchanged polite looks.

Buffy faced Angel and inclined back on the firm circle of his arms, as he supported her around the waist. "I have a not-so-surprise for you," she told him smiling.

"What?" he pulled her closer.

She reached up to his ear and whispered something.

After a moment of first shock, Angel gathered her in his arms and swung her around. "This is great!" he exclaimed, drawing her closer for a kiss.

"This time it can be a boy," she estimated.

"I don't care!" he declared and pulled her into another kiss.

"Alright, you crazy kids!" Xander intervened. "You keep it like that and you'll have another one before this one is even born."

Finally they let go, but remained touching foreheads. "I love you so much," Angel whispered.

"I love you too," she kissed him tenderly.

"Daddy," Sky pulled him down by the pants.

"What is it, honey?" he inquired.

"Up," she chirped in a commanding voice.

Angel laughed and uplifted Sky on his rear, her legs straddling his neck. "Soon you'll have a little brother or sister," he informed his daughter.

"I want to go celebrate," Buffy announced.

"Ice cream!" she heard Sky's instant response.

"The verdict has bee determined," Angel noted, "ice cream it is."

Buffy took his hand and started walking away. "Aren't you coming, guys?" she asked the others. "It's not like it's a private party."

"Never say no to free ice cream," Xander tugged along with Willow.

"I'll pass," Riley excused, "I got stuff to do."

"Suit yourself," Angel replied, although inwardly, he was a little happier the other man wasn't coming. Ever since the first time Buffy had mentioned him in her letter, he substantially hated the guy. "We're going to have ice cream!" He tickled Sky's loins until she began to laugh.

END.