No More Waiting.
BuffyAngel. Slight BuffySpike.

Disc: © Joss Whedon. I only wish it was mineeee.

Just minutes before, he had seen her. He had something so very important to tell her... so exciting... so wonderful. But he had been heart broken when he saw her. The love of his life. His very long life. Fucking his childe. His childe. He had stood there. Staring... taking it in... but he still couldn't dare to fathom it. How could she do that?

She'd frozen about a minute after he'd seen them. Her eyes, which had been closed, popped open in a panic and she pushed Spike off of her and started looking around the room. She'd felt him.

Better late than never, right? He had thought, bitterly. So, he turned, quietly, and ran, as fast as his vampire strength could get his legs to move. But, he would be back.

He was on his way to the mansion when he realized that she'd look there right away, so he'd reared off and started towards the apartment where he'd first lived... the place where he'd lost his soul making love to Buffy on her seventeenth birthday.

He took the key out from in the porch light and opened the door. Everything was how he'd left it when he's turned to Angelus, right down to the sweat pants and t-shirt lying on the bed.

He'd kept it, paid rent every month until last year, when he'd taken a few thousand from WR&H and bought the place. Now I'll own it, forever, he'd thought. Still, he hadn't had the guts to actually go back in there. It just held so many memories.

He locked the door, knowing that she'd eventually find him, but he needed time. Time to think about what he'd just witnessed. How could she sleep with Spike, knowing what he'd given up to try to give her a normal life? How?

He didn't care right now. All he wanted to do, was get some sleep, and go home. And maybe, beat the crap out of Spike. Yeah, that would be fun. He walked over to his old bed, and pulled off his coat. He tugged his shirt over his head and took off his socks and shoes, throwing them neatly on the chair by the wall.

He frowned, fighting the images of Spike inside of his soul mate, and threw back the blankets. He shuddered, smelling her scent, still lingering after all this time. He slipped under the blankets, taking a deep un-needed breath, before shutting his eyes, and drifting off to sleep.

He saw me. Oh god.He. Saw. Me. He saw me fucking Spike.

She didn't know what to do. She knew what he had seen, and she knew she would have to find him and explain. She also knew, that Spike, who had been really pissed off about her jumping up, on account of he was almost at his peak, was in danger.

"He saw us," Buffy said, wide-eyed, throwing on her clothes as fast as she could.

"Who saw us, Pet?" Spike asked, grumpily, pulling on his jeans.

"...Angel..."

Spike sighed, before his eyes widened in panic and he started taking very strained un-needed breaths.

"I'm sorry, Pet," Spike said, looking around the room, a look of fear on his face, "I thought I just heard you say that Tall Dark and Forehead saw us having a rough and tumble."

"That would be right," Buffy sighed, exasperated. "Spike, this is serious, he's probably really pissed. He's gonna wanna kick your ass."

Spike frowned, puffing out his chest, "He can try."

"Spike, he'll win, and you know it. You're his childe. Go, leave town before he finds you."

"No, I–"

"I said, go Spike!" Buffy was pointedly ignoring him, "I don't want you deader than you already are."

Spike grunted and grabbed his coat, "Fine."

Then, he walked out of the crypt into the dark and un-predictable night.

Buffy began pacing before she realized she actually had to go find Angel. She pushed the door open, and ran out, following her aching heart. He first thought, was to go to the mansion, but her connection, her pull she had with Angel was pulling her away from Crawford Street and it's contents.

She decided to follow the pull, turning right, out of the cemetery on to the street.

She suddenly knew. She knew where he was. He was there. At that place. The special place where she had given her virginity to Angel. The apartment.

But, Why would he go there? It's probably even more upsetting. But, I had a reason for sleeping with Spike that he needs to hear. He needs to understand that I didn't do it to hurt him.

She walked up to the apartment door, reaching into the lantern for the key. It was missing, which meant he was inside. She gently turned the knob. It didn't budge. He locked it! She thought, pushing a little harder. She didn't want to break it, but she just might have to.

Suddenly, a bell 'dinged' in her mind. The other key was under the loose brick on the wall. She pulled at the bricks, finding the hidden prize, and unlocked the door. She didn't want to scare him away with knocking so she kept quiet and turned the knob.

This time, it opened with an audible squeak. She gritted her teeth waiting for Angel to come to the door and slam it in her face. He didn't. She pushed it open, and stepped inside.

She didn't even look around. She turned her back to the room, and gently shut the door. When she finally looked, he was asleep. She recalled him telling her that he liked to sleep naked, the feeling of freedom fresh on his body. She tiptoed over to him, and that's when it hit her.

What if he hates me? She had slept with his childe, after he left to give her that normal life that she never wanted. So, what if he never wants to see me again? She tried to hold in a gasp as she stepped forward too quickly and slammed her foot on the side of the bed. She cursed under her breath and froze as Angel shifted. He sat up slowly and looked at her, blinking.

Unable to stop herself, she began her apology, her mouth moving faster than her brain. He made a comment about Spike and then to her surprise, he wrapped his arms around her. Oh my god. He could've just threw me out or walked left me here, but he didn't, he still loves me.

He fell back onto the bed with her and she turned in his arms as he kissed her shoulder and then finally her mouth. It was one of those passionate kisses that would take up a whole half of page of a book. She obliged, and kissed back. Soon they were undressing, and he was kissing other parts of her, not just her mouth.

"No, Angel, stop, your soul..."

"No more waiting," He told her, his eyes sparkling, "I can finally give you the life that you deserve. I'm half-human, Buffy. And I love you."

She gasped, her eyes wide.

I felt her when she entered. Her pain and guilt was unbearable. Though, it was not enough to rip me from my sleep. My sleep that held my ferocious nightmares of Buffy and my un-forgiven childe. Sick and disgusting is what it was. A new way for Angelus to torture me? But, no, he was just as angry as I was. In fact, he had been awfully quiet since we had seen them.

His heart broke as she began to spew apologies and reasons that made half-sense.

He kissed her forehead, and brought her up to his shoulder, holding her, until she tilted her head up enough for him to kiss her. Then, he did kiss her.

His heart soared as she began to kiss him back. He pulled up her shirt, over her head, gently, something he thought he'd never again get to do. She began pulling at the waist band of his pants, and he pulled the remainder of her clothes off and threw them randomly on the floor.

Soon, his pants were off, and they weren't parted by any barriers. As he began to make his way down her stomach, she yelled out, "No, Angel, stop, your soul..."

His brow, creased with frustration, instantly softened when he saw the look of concern on her face. He smiled, brightly, and told her what he had come to tell her.

"No more waiting," He told her, his eyes sparkling, "I can finally give you the life that you deserve. I'm half-human, Buffy. And I love you."

I was so happy that I started crying. Sobbing, bawling. I was so jubilant, that I kissed him over and over, and we made love the entire night. It was the next morning that was stressful.

I opened my eyes, and he wasn't there. I panicked, "Angel? Angel!"

"I'm here," He said, coming out of the bathroom, his hair moist from what she suspected was the shower she'd heard in her dream, going over to the bed to give her a quick kiss before walking into the kitchen to flip the scrambled eggs he'd been making. Ones she hadn't smelled until just now. And, Boy, did they smell good.

Too bad she had other things to worry about, like the fact that the quick kiss he just gave her had reminded her so much of Angelus, she was looking around the room for a stake.

"Angel?"

A look of concern passed over his features when he looked at her frightened face, "What, Buffy, are you alright?"

"I'm just checking," She said, letting out a sigh of relief.

"Oh..." he said, moving around the kitchen, going into the refrigerator and pulling out some apple juice. He then poured some into a cup, and put the plate of eggs on the tray and brought them over to the bed, eating some on the way.

"Why are you–?" the flash back hit her hard.

"No more waiting," He told her, his eyes sparkling, "I can finally give you the life that you deserve. I'm half-human, Buffy. And I love you."

"Human? Half human?" she questioned, looking him over. Tears were glistening in her eyes, and suddenly they were cascading down her cheeks.

Angel's eyes widened in fear, and he grabbed her, hugging her tight, "Buffy, what's wrong?"

"Oh, gosh, it's happy tears, silly. Oooh, highlights," she said, bringing her hand to his hair.

He chuckled and stuffed more eggs in his mouth, before getting some more with the fork and bringing them up to hers.

"You'd better be careful," She warned, taking the bite of the eggs. "Aggurlculdgeffusetuthus..."

Angel stared at her, "What?"

She swallowed the food, "I said, a girl could get used to this."

He chuckled, smiling. SMILING, "Oh. Well, that's the whole point."

She giggled, suddenly, a look of shame and guilt passed over her beautiful features.

"Oh, my god! I'm such a slut!" She cried, jumping up, and knocking into the eggs which, thankfully didn't splatter all over. She was pulling on her clothes, tears streaming down her face, again, as she mumbled to herself.

"Buffy, Buffy, what are you talking about? You're not a..." He swallowed. "Slut…" He finished in a small voice.

"Yes, Yes I am! I slept with both of you in a matter of less than a day! What's wrong with me?"

"Nothing is wrong with you, beloved, just calm down, come back to bed." He coaxed.

But I couldn't. I am such a dirty girl. I slept with them both over the course of one night. I felt like such a whore.

Suddenly, he was there, 'shushing' me and holding me, making me safe and clean. I complied, and he began to feed me eggs again. He was such a perfect creature. Such a caring soul. I loved him so much it hurt.

I found myself in the sun, squinting at her. She was in her bathing suit, a white bikini, splashing around in the Ocean's low tide, the white foam swirling around her legs. Her face, bright and jubilant with laughter, was shining in the sun's glare. God, she's so beautiful.

Her mouth curved into a bigger smile when she saw me, "Angel, get over here! Come show me those amazingly hot high-lights again!"

I laughed, running toward her, my swim trunks swishing as I ran. This was a good day. I had kept all of the strengths of my kind, but I had none of their weaknesses. Plus, I had a great tan, and according to Buffy, awesome highlights. Also, I had come to love mirrors. My reflection was wonderful. After 250 years of not being able to see my image, it was just great.

Too bad that it seemed much too good to be true. Buffy and I both agreed. I could walk in the sun, take bullets, touch crosses, kick ass and love my girl. Too good to be true, right? There had to be a catch, we just hadn't come across it yet. And we kept on hoping that we weren't going to any time soon.

I forgave her, about Spike, eventually. The same night I made love to her in the apartment. I guess I never really blamed her. She was right all along.

"I told you, Angel! I can NEVER have a normal life, damn it! Never! And You left me anyway! Even after I told you! I told you I'd never be normal!" Buffy shrieked at me, two days later.

We had finally worked up enough courage to talk about what had happened after I had taken her out to lunch, a picnic in the sun, in which she was staring at me the whole time, being in the sun and not bursting into flames and all.

"Damn it, Buffy! I never thought you'd sleep with Spike! I gave up what I loved to give you a normal life!"

"And what the fuck did I tell you!" She yelled. I was bewildered. I didn't even think she knew that word. "I told you that I didn't want the damn normal life without you, Jesus Christ, Angel!"

I had stared at her for a long time.

"I'm sorry," I said, sinking down on to the bed, letting my head slid down into my hands. That was a bad thing. I could get headaches. We'd been yelling at each other for over an hour.

"Oh, baby," Buffy said, coming over and wrapping her arms around me. She sniffled, and I looked at her. She had tears, running down her cheeks, her greenish-blue eyes watery.

"It's okay," I said, wiping the tears from her cheeks. "I love you."

"I love you, too." She said, burying her head in my chest.

An hour later, we were lying down, and we fell asleep like that, entwined, happy, letting by-gones be by-gones.

This is how it's supposed to be.

And it better stay this way.