Disclaimer: These charaters and settings belong to Joss and Mutan X, I thank them for letting me barrow them even though they would cringe if they new what i did with them!

A/n: This story can also be found on under my other pen name windandsummer123, but it is under another name and is the exact same as it is here.

This is a one shot Xander/Angel pairing I hope you like it.

Angel wasn't sure that he wanted to head back to SunnyDale just about now. He had just gotten off the phone with Willow who said that he was needed for the last big bad. She had told him that he was needed to help with a spell. When he had asked why the others couldn't do it she told him that all of them except for herself Buffy and Spike had been knocked unconscious by a chemical gas the beast expelled. Taken aback Angel had become worried about the others and agreed to come. When he hung up the phone though he realized who he would be going to, it had been years since they had last saw each other and if anyone would have asked him he would have admittedly have said he'd have wanted to keep it that way.

But the truth was far from that, he missed him he missed him a great deal. But was he ready to see him. For one had a girlfriend, but he was hurt and they needed his help. So mind made up he went in search of Cordy to tell her the news. She would be upset that they were hurt and he was sure she would quickly inform the others. It took him a while but he finally found her in Wess's office. The two of them were trying to decide what movie to see tonight. Interrupting them he quickly addressed the problem.

"Cordy it seems that a new demon has shown up in SunnyDale and they need my help with a spell, seeing as everyone except for Willow Buffy and Spike was knocked unconscious by a gas it puts out."

"Oh my god Angel, please tell me your going?"

"Yeah I'll be leaving as soon as night falls."

"Do you need me to do anything for you?"

"Just make sure that everyone gets told."

"Can do boss."

With that Angel made his to his room to pack. As soon as night fell he left for SunnyDale saying good bye to no one. Driving at high speeds he was there in an hour pulling up in Buffy's drive way. Walking to the door it was opened before he could knock.

"Angel comes in." Willows normally bright and chipper personality was down played by the darkness that had taken hold. Angel walked in to see Spike and Buffy pouring over a number of large texts spread threw the room. Hiding his suprise at seeing them all working togeather he cut to the chase hoping to learn what had happened.

"How'd this happen?" He asked the room at large.

At this Buffy and Spiked looked up at him as if seeing him for the first time.

"E'llo to you to poof. Bout time you stopped by for a visit. Not like you to enore family uh granddad." Spike said taking plesure in annoying his grandsire.

"Spike drop it, just tell me what happened." Angel answered.

Spike signed resined that he couldn't let the poof stew much longer. "Not much realy. We were out having a scooby gathering, when the latedt beastie showed up letting outs this gas that knocked all the others out. I was safe seeing as i dont breathe and all."

"What about Buffy and Willow?" Angel asked truley perplexed.

Again Spike anwsered seeing as the girls seemed to be willing to annore Angel in favor of reaserch.

"Oh the bits were late they were never exsposed to the gas."

Angel nodded before continuing.

"So about this spell that you need me here for, how does it work?"

"Thats what were trying to figure out." Said Buffy finaly joining in on the conversation.

"Here look at this one." Willow said handing him a large leather bound text to look through. Angel sat down on the couch and began to skim through the book. Hours past like this before Spike caled out that he had found the anwser.

"Bloody right, look here found the spell I did."

At this they moved to gather around Spike to see what he had found.

"It says here," Willow saiding reading the text aloud "that a simple recharge spell should wake them from the gas poision of a Deltous Demon as long as the person under the power of the gas holds no damaging secrets. If they do they will remain unconcious until such secrets are revealed. If done right the spell should release the Deltous's victem fairly quickly, it also says that if a number of people fall to the same batch of gas they will see each other in the unconsious state."

Every one seemed to sigh a breath of relief as Willow continued to scan the page writing down the spells ingredients.

"Well I seem to most of what the spell calls for what I dont have though I know I can pick up at the magic shop. Buffy and I can swing by there why you guys stay here and walch over the others we shouldnt be more than a hafe an hour." Willow said.

The others nodded there agreement and Buffy and Willow left talking over the spell as they went. Once the girls had left Angel turned to Spike.

"Where are they?"

"Upsairs, Xander is in Buffy's old room while Anya and Giles are in her moms old room, and Dawn and Tara are set up in Dawns room." Spike said.

"How come Xander and Anya arnt togeather?" Angel said unable to hide his curiousity.

" Him and the bird arnt togeather anymore, shes with the watcher now." Spike said simply.

"She's what, how did that happen?" Angel said agast.

"Oh its no big deal, Xander had broke up with her already. The boy had gone out and desided that he was gay."

"He's what!"

"He's a big poof, well not the odd kind but all the same." Spike said looking pleased that he had rattled Angel.

Angel stood there a moment lost in thought before for he moved up the stairs and quickly found himself in Buffys old room looking down at Xander. He was more lovely than he remembered. His dark hair fell slightly across his eyes while his dark lashes lay in hafe moons on his cheaks. His tanned skin was so alive and tempting evan in this demon induces sleep. Angel continued to just sit there walching him until Spike walked threw the door.

"Hey poof you ready to do the spell?"

"Yeah im ready."Angel replied getting up from his seat beside Xander. He looked down one last time before turning and walking towards Spike.

"He'll be ok poof, they all will. Red knows what shes doing."

"I understand that Spike but i still cant help but worrie." Angel said looking gloomy.

""Thats understandable concidering you care for the whelp."

At this Angels eyes got big and he began to sputter.

"But... but how did you know, does everyone know?"

"No, no one else knows. I just happen to know you, we did spend a good twenty years togeather."

Angel nodded in agreement.

"Alright lets get this done."

They hurried down to Buffy's living room where Willow had set up for the spell.

Willow turned to address them " Ok guys i need you to stay on the out side of the circle. When it

comes to your turn i want you to read these." She said handing them sheets of paper with their part of the spell on it.

" After we have all done are parts there should be a purple glow and these crystals here should light up. There is a crystal for each person upstairs. If they are free from secrets then their crystal should expode and they should wake up." She told them.

"How can their secret be reveled if there still asleep." Buffy asked.

"Well since we know that they were all togeather in there sleep the others should know what needs to be said." Willow answered.

"Ok Red lets do this thing." Spike said wanting to get it over with.

Willow nodded her agreement and they all moved into their spots around the circle. Willow began the chant and it slowly moved to Buffy then to Spike and finaly to Angel. As soon as Angel spoke the final words a bright purple light began to fill the crystals. All but two soon exploded. They looked at the last to crystals in the circle and noted that they were Dawn and Xanders. They all stood there looking worriedly at the crystals until they heard the others coming down the stairs. Buffy and Willow rushed to hug Giles, Anya, and Tara while Spike and Angel held back. Finaly they let them go and Buffy turned to Giles to address the problem.

"Ok Giles spill, I dont like having them out any longer than they have to be." Buffy said

Giles looked around nervouly before nodding consint.

"Well you see the secrets that are keeping them are verry personal Im not sure everyone should hear them." Giles said trying to stall telling the secrets he knew would change a great deal around here.

"Rupert we dont have all day get on with it already!" Spike growled looking anxious. Angel wondered a moment and then he realized what he had missed by worring over Xander. Spike cared for Dawn not just in a brother sister way but in a big way. At first this worried him but he realized that she was 18 now and could make here own desions exspecialy ones involving her love life.

"Right, well first theres Dawn." Giles said "Well you see she has recently regained all her memories from before she became human." He finished.

Buffy, Willow and Angel all seemed suprised by this but Spike seemed to have already known since he just looked releaved."She dosent feel like a young girl anymore for that matter she knows her true age, but she didnt tell you because she didnt want you to be upset by it."

Buffy and Willow nodded there heads in understanding her desion although not liking the fact that she felt like she had to hide it from them.

"What about Xander?" Angel asked. Giles looked nervous at this question and waited a moment before answering.

"Well you see Xanders is a little diffrent, Xander is um gay."

"We all know this already Giles how is that a secret" Buffy asked.
"Well the thing is the only reason hes gay is because hes in love with Angel." He answered.

Everyone stood there quitely for a moment, Angel looked as if he was going to faint before he came back to himself.

"Hes what!"

Anya steped forward smiling. "Hes in love with you, was never positive but now we all know. Its why i left him."

Angel stood still for a moment before his face light up with a smile holding such happieness that few had ever witnessed. He looked around the room quickly before turning and running up the stairs. When he reached Xander he slowly reached out and grabbed his hand speaking to him softly.

"Come on Xander you have to wake up now. They just told me you love me and I need to be able to tell you that I love you to." At this Xander stired and soon Angel was looking into the dark chocolet pools of his loves eyes.

"Hello love its about time you wake up." Angel said looking down at Xander.

Xander smiled and asked. "Did you mean it what you said about loving me too?"

"Of course i do, love you more than anything. I think i always have just never wanted to admitt it."

Before Xander could say anything else Angel leaned down and sealed his lips over his. Xander soon opend his lips on a sigh and found Angels toung sliding in along his. This lasted until Angel pulled back so that Xander could breath. Xanders eyes told him of his love and trust of the future he wanted to spend with him. Not able to hold back any longer Angel resealed answering back he tale of love and hope in his kiss.