-Romania-
Angel squeezed the hilt of his broadsword and stuck the blade in the rich soil at the edge of the gypsy's camp. Tired of living with his curse, he sailed to Romania several months after the battle, which sucked Los Angeles into hell. Leaving his sword, as a sign of good faith, he made his way past the bonfires and met with Demetrius.
"I've suffered long enough, I've repented," Angel told Demetrius through gritted teeth, "I know the curse can be removed, I-"
Demetrius lifted a tired hand, "Natalya is the only one capable of removing your curse but it appears she is no longer with us."
"What does that mean, no longer with you?" Angel asked.
"Find her and you'll have you're answer," Demetrius turned away from the cursed vampire, blowing out the torches and leaving him in darkness.
Walking towards the edge of camp he yanked his broadsword out of the earth and went on a hunt for the one person who could remove the curse only to find out she had become a vampire. Over the next few months Angel helped the gypsies from Natalya's terrorization of the camp.
He had a decision to make, keep Natalya alive or save Demetrius's Daughter. Once more he took the route of self sacrifice. Right before plunging his stake into her heart she whispered to him, a name, of another who could remove the curse. Could he find that person in time? Honouring his debts to the gypsies he slammed the stake down until she was nothing more than dust and ash.
However, the name would haunt him until he found her, the one living person who could remove his curse.
-Present Day Los Angeles-
"I'm not a sore loser," Angel stood up and slammed the cards on the table.
"Yeah you are mate!" Spike quipped.
"This is a stupid game, who plays kitten poker when there are people who need saving?" Angel stood up grabbed his coat.
"You're just in a funk over this tart's name are ya? That bint who supposedly knows how to remove your curse or what not," Spike grabbed the cards and put a kitten in the middle of the table.
Angel looked around at the group and wondered what the hell he was doing in a demon bar playing kitten poker with Spike, oh that's right, he called him Mr. Stuffy pants this time.
"Well you know not everybody wanted a soul I mean mine came with a price," Angel glared at Spike before muttering under his breath, "Unlike you. Everybody has a soul now."
Pointing his finger at Spike, "I had it first," refusing to let Spike get in the last word he walked out letting the door slam.
"It's that time of the month," Spike quipped and shuffled the cards.
"I'm not obsessing," he said aloud and turned a corner, "maybe just a little."
Ever since he came back from Romania, he wanted to find the woman, if she was a woman, who could remove his curse but all his research came to a dead end. Rubbing a hand on his head he wondered if he should just head back to his apartment and brood or look for some one in need of help.
-Downtown Los Angeles-
Thud.
"Ow," Buffy practically roared through gritted teeth, as her back hit the wall, her head whipping back.
"Now that hurt," she landed on her feet, rubbing the back of her head briefly before pushing away from the wall, "But who wins?" the vampire rushed forward, grabbing it's collar she pulled him forward, his face connecting with her knee, before she pulled him back, plunging in her stake, "Still me."
Brushing herself off, she sighed. "One down. Eleventy million to go," she pouted, she escaped a hellmouth to wind up in a city as bad as the hellmouth never was? Not exactly what she called fair.
"Stupid Giles."
Meanwhile….
"I know you, you kill your own kind, " the vampire growled and lunged, Determined to claim the title of killing the vampire with a soul.
He was slow and Angel easily anticipated his move, sidestepping him. However, the vampire never lost his momentum, turned and gave Angel a solid right hook. Staggering backwards, "You shouldn't have done that, " he growled as his features morphed, "Now you're going to see my bad mood."
The girl pressed herself against the wall completely lost in the insanity of the situation, frozen by fear unable to move and let another scream echo through the alley…
Turning down another empty street, Buffy was about to settle for a night in with her two favourite men. Ben and Jerry, when a scream pierced the air.
"I'll take ditzy blonde for $500."
With a sigh she was off, stopping dead in her tracks, Angel, regaining composure she leaned against the wall, watching as he did the old two step with your run of the mill less than average vampire.
Angel delivered a swift upper cut to the vampires chin, followed by two short jabs. Grabbing him by the back of his shirt, he swung him so his body was pressed up against a dumpster. For a brief moment, his eyes connected with the vampires as he sank his stake deep into his heart. Just before the explosion commenced the vampire said "Why are you doing this?"
Angel whispered, "Because I can."
The blonde hugging him before scampering off.
"Nice execution, considerate of your damsel's feelings. Suave points, well they're way out of the park...but then again they always were, so all in all I'd have to give you a 9.5."
She smiled a little, "Hey."
Angel turned towards her as she said hey, "Buffy," closing the distance he enveloped her in a hug and inhaled the scent of her hair deeply. As Angel pulled her into a hug, her muscles tensed for oh say point five of a second before she relaxed, hugging him back, for a moment allowing herself to feel safe there in his arms. Hardening once more as they pulled apart, meeting Angel was always like a complete whirlwind event, but much like their last rendezvous, they wasted no time on pleasantries.
"What are you doing here? Did you hear about the Gravlack problem?"
"Right. Gravlocks? The...the uh gravel demons?" she half laughed, shaking her head, "Giles sent me, well technically the council, but to break it down. LA equals demon hot spot, equals demon palooza, which equals chaos, which equals me...here. Apparently you can't have a good old monster mash without yours truly."
She sighed. Stupid ramble mode. Stupid. Stupid.
"The council sent you meaning you're going to be here permanent?" It almost sounded as if he was talking to himself but he wasn't. This could be either a blessing or a curse but he was leaning more towards blessing.
"So Gravlocks huh? Need a hand?"
"Sure I could use a hand," Angel smiled, such a rare thing for the broody vampire.
"Where are you staying..?"
Stupid question, why did he even ask that?
Buffy tilted her head to the side thoughtfully, watching him, god she loved that smile, "You should do that more often," she said barely above a whisper, "smile..."
"…I mean if never mind. I'm glad you're here," he finished.
"Thanks," she smiled herself, her gaze meeting his, he almost seemed nervous, but that was silly.
It was time to tell her what was going on in the city of angels. "After the final battle Los Angeles got sucked into Hell. Not that is wasn't hell before but now literally we are in hell," he gestured towards the city," Somebody cultivated a nest of Gravlack demons and let them loose into the city's water supply."
"It's bad enough these people are stuck here but if this situation isn't reversed the water supply will turn toxic."
"Right. So just your typical day in the life and times of Buffy. Would it kill the universe to have a demon of chocolate and marshmallows? And how come there's always people who hang around? They might as well drink uranium and use lead based beauty products."
She shrugged turning to walk out of the alley, Angel by her side.
"So where to? Are we gate crashing the Gravlack Christmas party? Or is this a hit the books type deal? There's not gonna be books right?"
He always loved her witty sense of humour just as he loved watching her kick some demon ass and today proved to be no exception. "No books involved, I've done the research however we got a little something we need to take care of first. Come on we have to move quick"
Turning a corner, he began running back towards the Hyperion. Buffy easily managing to keep up with Angel as they ran. In the lives of heroes sometimes there was no time for questions…Angel pushing open the double doors, making sure Buffy was behind him he walked behind the counter and began pulling out powders and liquids.
Though (and rather annoyingly in the case of stuffy old British guys) there was always time for explanations…
"Gravlacks are demons which are cultivated, which means somebody had to grow them. They were released into the cities water supply. Although harmless to demons," he began mixing an antidote, "humans suffer a slow painful death over a span of hours unless they take this."
Angel handed her a small vial.
"Yay," Buffy said flatly, taking the vial from Angel, holding it up to the light, she scrunched her nose, "Something tells me taking this stuff would require more than just a spoon full of sugar to help it go down."
"This," he continued, "will protect you if you accidentally get hit with one of the pins, its like razor thin needles that fly out in mass amounts around 150 miles per hour. Kind of like a porcupine. I've been hunting for the mother. Kill the mother and they all die. The only way to kill it is to shoot it in the right neck," Angel pointed towards his shoulder, "between the thick shell and the neck. It's a soft spot."
She looked back at Angel, closing her palm around the vial, "Ok check, needles bad. Soft spot in the neck region good. Right so you wouldn't happen to have a spare broad sword round here would you?"
She scanned the lobby. A little rundown, but not completely tragic. Was Angel working alone?
"So how big is this thing supposed to be?"
Handing her a crossbow and taking one for himself he said, "Not sure, but they're huge, scaly when they are in the adult stage but in the larva stage they look like tadpoles hatching out of their mother's," he couldn't think of a way to say it so he just said it, "butt."
More nose scrunching ensued when he went into full description of the demons, she nodded slightly, not looking forward to drinking the concoction, holding it up to the light.
"Don't forget to drink that, it will protect you for 24 hours."
Cut to the opening of the demon nest…
What Buffy guessed were hatchlings were milling around, the mother in the centre, her eyes widened.
Why did the sewers always have to stink? Because they were sewers.
She opened the vial, curbing her urge to gag, holding her nose she downed the toxic looking liquid, and threw down the vial, shuddering, "Bleah," shaking her head, "Wouldn't say no to sugar," she said softly.
"That's the mother, but something tells me we're not alone."
Buffy turned, rolling her eyes.
"Vampires? You know I have to say there was always two things I admired about the undead. The turning to dust, and the loner thing. This whole working with, or I'm guessing for other demons. Kinda pesky."
She pulled out a spare arrow, throwing it with ease directly into the heart of their little ring leader, before pulling out a stake. Calling to Angel over her shoulder...
"Hey let's say I'll take care of the fang boys here and you take care of the overgrown pin-cushion. Deal?"
"Overgrown Pin-cushion it is," Angel, quipped. In one hand he held his broadsword while in the other he held a crossbow. Tonight would be a challenge at multi dexterity.
Running forward, gripping his broadsword he swung it like Indiana Jones whacking away at the jungle. Instead, he was doing the old slice and dice with the tadpoles. His body moved in a rhythm to match Buffy's while she killed the vampires.
Buffy's movements were fluid, executed with deadly precision, and well let's face it she could stake these morons with her eyes shut, though not a risk she was willing to take within their current settings.
"Why does it always have to be a sewer," she said with contempt, though it was more to herself, as she elbowed one of the vamps in the face, "Think of the statement you're making, taking a leaf from Anne Rice's novels wouldn't hurt...well assuming that you can in fact read..."
Covered in black congealed ooze Angel dropped his broadsword to duck and cover when hundreds of razor thin barbs shot out at him. "BUFFY!" he yelled. "DUCK!" They shot out at about 150 miles per hour and even Angel could not avoid them but at least she took the antidote.
Buffy hissed as a needle nicked her arm, pulling one of the vamps in front of her like a shield, letting him drop as he reduced to ashes.
Angel had one shot, aiming the crossbow he fired and hit the demon in the sweet spot.
Finishing off the vamps, she turned just in time to see the unavoidable eruption, "So not good," she pouted, scrunching her nose, her eyes automatically shutting, shielding her face with her arms, a deep wave of revulsion taking over her as the blood and guts pelted her, sending her into a spasm.
Yellow guts and red brain spattered everywhere, the walls, the floor, the sewer, even Angel and Buffy but as it screamed in pain Angel covered his ears, hoping his eardrums would not burst.
Quickly moving her hands to her ears, Buffy slowly opening her eyes, as the last reverberations of the scream died down, she looked over at Angel, half laughing, half crying, "Ewwww," she shuddered again.
"Remind me never to help you. Ever. Again," she said with conviction, even if she didn't mean it, looking down at her latest ruined outfit, glaring at him slightly, she punched his arm playfully.
"I'm hurt," he said as she punched his arm, his tone playful even if dozens of barbs embedded in his skin…
Back at the hotel…
Buffy tilted her head to the side, and then grabbed one of the barbs embedded in Angel and yanked it out, and he definitely yelped…
"Sorry…just trying to help, quit being a baby."
"I wish I could say this wasn't far from over, but it isn't. Somebody or something cultivated these things, which means they could do it again. Plus some of them got loose in the water. Contamination will occur in 48 hours and we still have to find the antidote. We're a mess."
He knew they needed to get cleaned up but what was more important? Cleaning off the demon goo? Or finding the person responsible for this?
As he talked Buffy pulled out a few more in succession, Angel managing to stifle his outcries of pain this time….
"We have to head back towards the hotel, and clean this stuff off unless…" he paused, "You want to head out to the demon bars now."
"Hold up. If you think for one second I'm going anywhere near the general population of any species looking like this, you are sadly mistaken. Do you have any idea what we smell like?" ok there was definitely a whiny tone to her voice, but she was so not caring about how like Harmony she sounded right then…only she really kind of did. She sighed.
Angel inhaled deeply but all he could smell was Buffy, and rotten broccoli, "You smell like day old broccoli but I know I don't smell that much better."
"Great," she said dryly, hands on her hips, before muttering, "cause that's just what every girl longs to hear," she sighed, "Ok say we go. Then what? Right now we're more slicked up than Spike's hair, and secondly I do not want to find out what this stuff does when it dries out."
"Did you have to bring up captain peroxide?" Angel muttered.
"Captain peroxide?" but before Buffy fully had a chance to enjoy the mild amusement of Angel being jealous at even hearing her say Spike's name, he'd already launched into the next trap…
"Okay lets shower at the same time and then meet back here in a few then hit the demon bars," he paused, "I mean not shower together as in shower together because," he cleared his throat," lets just shower."
He was so adorable when he was all embarrassed. Although she really wouldn't have said no to sharing a shower with him...ok it had definitely been way too long...they were covered in demon goop. She clearly needed to make her shower a cold one...
Clearly embarrassed he left to shower, a short while later he returned downstairs. After adamantly trying to scrub the stink away, Buffy dressed and returned back downstairs. Angel already there waiting for her.
"So we all good to go? Ready to take on the big bad demon world. So where do we head first?"
Cut to demon bar…
Buffy sat on a stool, leaning back on the bar, glancing down at her nails off-handedly, Angel's fist connecting with the face of the demon sitting next to her, "He likes to hit. Want him to stop, speak up."
Angel grabbed the bartender from the back of his coat, swung him around until his forehead connected with the jukebox right next to Buffy. She never once looked up from her nails.
"Oh I'm just getting' started," Angel growled," lifting him up by the throat he held him while his toes barely touched the ground."
"I don't know anything," he choked.
Angel dug his fingernails deeper, "Think hard and we know you can easily send a signal and have all your patrons start a brawl but in the end," he narrowed his eyes, "who do you think is going to remain left standing?"
Releasing he let the bartender fall to the ground, "I think I'll take a break, let Buffy have some fun."
"Ooo yay. My turn," she said with just a hint of glee in her voice, grabbing the bartender by the front of his shirt, pulling out a stake with her other hand, and the demon laughed.
"I'm no vampire."
"Oh gosh darnit, whatever shall I do," she said mockingly before punching him square across his jaw, jamming the stake right through it's hand and into the counter as he placed it down, the bartender growling in her face, to which she scrunched her nose, waving her hand in front of her face.
"Dental hygiene really not a top priority with you guys now is it? Would it kill you to invest in a toothbrush?"
Thrusting her palm forward she slammed the bartender's head down onto the bar, "Tell me what you know, because believe me, a stake is more versatile than you think."
"You know she can do wonders with the stake," Angel leaned down eye to eye with the bartender, "it makes me all tingly inside watching her fight."
Laughing he slammed his fist down on the stake and connected eyes with Buffy when the bartender howled in pain.
"Oh God it hurts," The bartender actually started to cry, "You gotta look for a guy named Drake. Hangs out at the Pink Poodle"
"Drake?" Angel said, "description." Angel said wiggling the stake around, enjoying it a bit too much.
"Shaggy blonde hair, blue eyes, take it out!!!" he screamed.
"Drake. Shaggy blonde hair. Blue eyes. Pink Poodle. Got it," Buffy placed her hand over Angel's twisting the stake a little more before yanking it out, shoving him back over the bar to the floor.
"And they say you can't get good service in LA," her eyes meeting Angel's once more, time standing still for that brief moment, Buffy breaking it, "Come on, let's go."
The Pink Poodle...
Scantily clad women milling around, some gyrating on laps, others swinging from poles, Buffy made a face and then shuddered, "Eww," she was definitely getting the wig, "Ok we're so making this fast," she didn't know what disgusted her more, then men or the demons.
"Same worn out urge," she muttered, moving in the direction of the stage, "You got a visual?"
Angel looked at the dancers on stage, then to Buffy, then back to the dancers before landing on Buffy. A grin crept across his face, "yeah I got the visual."
What the hell was he thinking? Visualizing Buffy dancing from a pole.
"Uh yeah visual, I got it," he said repeating himself. Making his way through the crowd he slid into a booth, pulling Buffy onto his lap, best to stay in character, "What do you think doll? Is this place interesting or boring enough for you?"
She gave the best airheaded laugh she could muster.
Doll?
Buffy thought with complete disbelief, an almost shrill note resounding in her head.
Did he really just say doll?
Angel turned to Drake, "You Drake?"
"What's it to you?" Drake said.
Buffy still smiling, half laughing.
"Oh nothing, just got a feisty one on my hands looking to party," Angel squeezed Buffy's butt, "ain't that right doll?"
And before she knew what she was doing she slapped Angel, hard. Immediately berating herself for not being able to keep her cool, but somewhere between the ass grab and the word doll she lost it.
Her eyes met Angel's. Drake was watching them. Buffy moved her hand to the back of his neck pulling Angel into a kiss, repositioning herself to straddle him, letting him spank her she giggled against his ear, "Always did like it rough," she kissed him again.
He knew she would slap him, but damn if it still didn't surprise him. His head sharply snapped to the side but when she kissed him he almost forgot where he was and what road that would lead down. Eagerly he responded pulling her closer.
Drake drank his beer, "Well not that I don't enjoy the show but exactly what are you implying?"
Angel shifted Buffy on his lap leaving his hand on her thigh, suggestively moving it up her leg inch by inch, "Well my doll here wants a little somethin' more, lookin' to party with somebody else."
Oh my God. I just kissed Angel!
Buffy's eyes snapped shut when she felt his hand on her thigh.
Good kiss...great kiss...ok bad Buffy, bad, bad Buffy...
Forcing her eyes open, she continued with the mindless giggling, resting her head against his shoulder, Buffy knew that for now at least Angel would have to do the talking. Angel nodding at Drake, "She's a kinky one, are you interested? If so then meet us outside," Buffy pausing to make eye contact with Drake with a come hither look and a sexy smile...
Even if she would rather be haunted by the disturbing mental image of Andrew coming down to a conference in nothing but a pair of Speedos, than have this guy so much as lay one greasy finger on her. It took all her will power not to gag at the thought.
Lifting Buffy up Angel kissed her once more, before grabbing her hand and sauntering out of the bar.
Outside...
Five minutes later Drake met them in the back alley, "Alright so are we going to a hotel or what?"
Angel grinned, "Buffy tell him exactly what you plan on doing to him."
"Well I thought maybe we could start off with a lap dance, maybe some light bondage...but then again why go in for the pretence..."
Drake's back hit the wall so fast there wasn't even time to blink, Buffy holding him there with her foot, her boot digging into his throat, Drake gasping for air, or well more accurately gasping in pain. Pressing just a little harder before pulling her foot away.
"You...crazy...bitch..." he spluttered.
"Wow. You still don't get it do you," looking over her shoulder to Angel she added, "I've gotta say honey, I'm not impressed. You impressed?"
"I'm not impressed," Angel shrugged.
Throwing her fist back Buffy got Drake right between the eyes, smirking as she turned back round, watching him as he slid down the wall, hands to his bloody nose.
"Slayer," he spat.
"Ding, ding, ding, looks like there's hope for the slow kid in back after all," her voice dripping with sarcasm, "think he'll catch on as quick with the Gravlacks?"
"Gravlacks?"
"Guess not."
Deciding it was his turn Angel nodded at Buffy, grabbing Drake by the back of his jacket and swinging him full force until his face connected with the brick wall against the club, "Oops did that hurt? Was I too rough?" He asked with mock sincerity.
"Thou're foth cdrazy!" Drake yelled, "Yothe boket my fose!"
Buffy put her hand to her mouth, trying hard not to laugh at Drake's newfound speech impediment.
"I think its an improvement myself, don't you agree Buffy?" Angel turned him around so he faced Buffy, who nodded in agreement.
"Now I'm going to ask you what you failed to answer. What do you know about the Gravlack demons?"
"I don'the know whathe you're talking afbout," Drake sputtered as the blood ran down his chin.
"Look I'll make his easy for you pal. You tell me what I want to know about the demons, and I'll show you my demon," Angel morphed.
Buffy wasn't so sure why she all of a sudden found this so funny, but she shrugged it off.
And at that moment Drake screamed a girlish scream that would even rival Andrew Wells. Perhaps louder than Cordelia Chase.
Covering her ears. He actually screamed?
She looked from Drake to Angel and back to Drake, "Ok first off. Lame. You know you just lost all your macho points right?" she moved closer, Angel dropping him, Buffy crouched down grabbing him by the hair, pulling him up slightly so she could look into his eyes, "Second, and most importantly you're on strike two, one more, and you're out, got it?"
He nodded ever so slightly, Buffy tilting her head to the side, "Y-yesh, I-i got it."
"You don't need further convincing?"
He shook his head, coughing. Buffy scrunched her nose.
"Good. Now for the last time. What do you know about the Gravlacks?"
Back at the Hyperion...
"Wolfram and Hart. Go figure," she said flatly, sitting herself on top of the main desk, watching Angel pace. He wanted to throw something, "Why am I not surprised?" instead he started to pace. He always thought things through better when he paced.
Drake was just a flunky. Which not in the least surprising. And furthermore, the whole Gravlack thing was done for Angel's benefit...well in a manner of speaking.
"So what's our next move Ace?"
"We crash Wolfram and Hart. Technically I am still under contract so technically that means I can walk right in and they can't touch me. Okay well they can but still, hmm we need a strategy I know they watch my every move. Why the hell would they do this when that means they would be poisoning half of their staff? It makes no sense?"
Ok he was pissed. That much was apparent from oh say outer space. Jumping down onto her feet, she approached him almost cautiously, placing her hand on his arm.
"Ok breathe...or whatever it is you vampires do to calm down. And well what makes you think Wolfram and Hart would care about half their staff...or in fact any of it. From what I know everyone there is pretty much expendable. Right? Or maybe they have a cure. I mean they planted it so they must have looked at all the angles...unless they were complete morons."
"Look whatever we do...and I can't say I'm entirely happy about having to even set foot in that building. It has to be smart. And it has to be fast. Time is not on our side."
Angel forced himself to calm down, it wasn't like he could go sit in the dark or maybe watch hockey, no once more he and Buffy needed to save the world.
Or at least Los Angeles.
"Wolfram and Hart needs people to run the firm but that's beside the point. Drake didn't even give us a name, we should have beat him for more information…"
Sure they could have beat Drake more. But the unconscious, very much like the dusted, are not very good informants. Plus picking out actual words from the mess that came out of his mouth became an issue.
"We're going to have to go undercover, we're going to have to also mask the fact that I am a vampire and you're a slayer, we're going to have to go visit an old friend of mine…" Angel paused.
An old friend? Now why didn't she like the sound of that? She sighed.
"His name is Lark. Warlock, slightly off his rocker but he can cast a spell on us for at least 24 hours plus he can glamour us some fake I.D. and badges, Plus " Angel narrowed his eyes as his voice grew darker, "he owes me a favour."
"Lark? That's a name?"
Outside Lark's building...
"What kind of self-respecting warlock would choose to live here?" though that was more of a rhetorical question, after all Wrack's place? That didn't exactly rate high in the Zaggit's guide either. "And I'm guessing when you said he owes you a favour that means Angelus?"
Not waiting for an answer she took a step forward, "Well here we go."
When they got to his door Angel didn't even bother to knock, instead he literally kicked the door down. He knew he wouldn't need an invite. Lark jumped up, high on opium and said, "Dude."
Once he realized who is was he said, "Shit." He could have cast a spell but he still had a debt to pay.
"That debt is gonna be repaid right now," Angel said.
Buffy stepped into the hell-ish hole that was Lark's living quarters, ignoring them.
Swiping her finger along the dusty mantle, and the smell.
"You could at least spring for a few throw cushions. I mean maybe it's just me but I like my evil with a little class. I've seen alleyways with more style than this."
"Who's the chick?"
Buffy shuddered. First with the Angel calling her doll. And now chick. Her flesh was most definitely still crawling.
"Ok we can cut with pet names any time now," she sighed, "Can we just get this show on the road?"
Lark shrugged, "Does chick bother you? And if it bothers you don't you want to know why? If you want to know why then you must have answers? Are you searching for something?"
"Shut up" Angel said as Lark started to talk, "we need to get into Wolfram and Hart. You need to glamour us, our souls, our DNA, our scent, everything plus get us badges as in right now."
"Dude this could-" Lark said.
"No I know exactly what your capable of just as you know what I'm capable of and we both know until the debt is paid off you can't cast any spells against me and," he paused, "when the debt is paid off you still won't cast any spells against me or I'll kill you."
"But we were friends dude, what's with all the hate?" Lark said.
"Just do it, now," Angel said.
"Fine," Lark said. The powerful warlock didn't need herbs, or candles or other props most witches used, he was beyond that and with a simple incantation and the wave of his hand he glamoured the both of them into people even they wouldn't recognize.
Buffy taking a sharp intake of breathe when the glamour was cast, looking down at the suit, horrible extra shiny man shoes, and her hands, "Ew," she pouted, and almost said how come he gets to be the woman, but she was not quite ready to sink that low.
"Angel," Lark said, "While under this spell since it ain't you man you can look in the mirror," he smirked.
Angel walked over and looked into the mirror and jumped back. The reflection staring back at him was far from what he expected. Pivoting on his heel he turned and looked at Lark, "you turned me into a girl?"
Then he turned to Buffy, "and you turned her into a man?"
Lark shrugged, "You said you wanted to be unrecognisable."
Angel looked in the mirror again and then down at his body. He was dressed in corporate casual and was resisting the urge to unbutton his own blouse and take a peek.
When her eyes met Angel's he had a strange look in his, her, his eyes...
Oh my God he wants to look at his breasts doesn't he? Men!
Clearing her throat, she pulled Angel away from the mirror, "How long before this wears off?"
At Wolfram and Hart...
They walked in casually together, even if for the whole way there Buffy had walked ahead of Angel, who had not yet adjusted to walking in heels, pausing when he actually called out her name...
"Are you insane?" she hissed, "And your walk is all wrong, your supposed to sway your hips, trust me it helps...not like that. Come on you've watched women walk for how many years now?"
"Watching and doing is different, fine I'll imitate you," Angel said walking ahead, trying to imitate Buffy but he probably looked like he was walking around with a potato chip up his butt and he was afraid to break it.
Briefcase in hand, she swiped her ID card, which actually worked. Speaking in a low voice, she glanced over at Angel, "You do know where we're going right? We're not just going to randomly ransack offices right?"
"Yes," he said walking into the elevator, and letting the doors close, "Wolfram and Hart keeps records of everything and I mean everything in the basement. That's where we're going."
Buffy sighed, "This is so almost creepier than when Willow got stuck looking like Warren. Don't ask."
Stupid warlock guy. She felt like she had an itch she couldn't scratch, she didn't want to look like a stupid guy. Letting her hand drop when she realised it was on her hip. Guys didn't do that...well ok gay guys did...stupid thoughts.
Once they hit the bottom floor Angel walked up to the receptionist sitting at the desk. "Hi we're here about the Gravlacks File."
Buffy eyed the receptionist. Definitely a robot. But she smiled anyway.
"Date," she said in a step ford type voice.
"Last week," Angel said.
"Date," she repeated.
Angel gave her a date and she pointed towards the door, "File 187A85P"
Angel nodded and walked through the door, Buffy following him, he'd heard rumours but never had been down here. It was like a cavern of files, "Wow," he said looking down the endless corridor of boxes and files.
"Oh I don't think wow really begins to cover it. Whatever happened to this being the computer age?"
She sighed, walking down one of the rows, "What was the number..?" pulling a drawer open she leafed through the files, already knowing it was the wrong drawer...
"187A85P", Angel said walking down the aisle, "Its alphabetized," he mused, "follow me." He made his way through the labyrinth of aisles until he found the right box.
Pulling it out he set it on the floor and began sifting through dates, one of the folders actually bit his hand, "Damn" he said pulling it back.
"Here it is File 187A85P." Angel stood up and opened it, scanning the images into his head. His eyes widened with shock, this was unexpected.
"Whoa," he said and handed the file to Buffy, "Look at the name of the person who did this."
He still was in shock when he read the name…
Charles Gunn? He had been one of Angel's friends? The only members of the fang gang Buffy had ever met were Cordy and some Irish guy...Doyle...
"I never," He said and then turned to Buffy, "In the final battle Gunn got bit, I knew he was a vampire but I never…" he shook his head.
But before Buffy could say something of the comforting variety, the rest of what Angel said over rode it.
"I don't want to kill him. I have to kill him. We need to find him and Buffy," he knew the slayer never met Gunn, "he shaves his head so we need to find hair in other place's."
"Other places. Huh? What do we need hair for?" she paused, genuinely confused, when was hair mentioned, "Oh...other places."
"Ew."
She scrunched her nose, looking down, holding back an urge to just whine, stupid glamour.
"We need it for the antidote," he said choosing to ignore the other places part.
"We should get back to the hotel. We got what we came for."
"The sun will be up soon," she added.
Buffy was right, the sun was going to come up soon and what would happen then?
"Buffy this glamour is going to last for at least 24 hours. Gunn knows who I am," Angel paused as the walked out of the labyrinth of files.
"Once the sun sets we'll have a few hours to find Gunn in this form," Angel said. "It will be better that why, he might even think I'm bait."
Buffy nodded, not really knowing what to say, and knowing they still had alot to do.
Just as the sun rose over the horizon he ran in the hotel hoping he wouldn't catch on fire. They made it just in time. Buffy knew that Angel might not be able to kill his friend. And if she had to...would he be able to forgive her? Why did everything always have to be compli...
"Lay with me upstairs for awhile?" he was tired, it was the whole sun thing.
"With you," she could feel her heart pounding beneath her chest, "Upstairs," tears stung at her eyes, she was tired, and not loving the new look, but even with it he still wanted her to...rest with him, that's what he meant right?
"Ok," she took his hand, letting him lead her upstairs, it felt weird, stupid man hands.
Angel's bedroom…
It felt weird having her large arms wrapped around his tiny body. He wasn't liking this role-reversal thing and he was beginning to have these stirrings that were far from normal. Is this what it felt like for her? For Buffy? Even Darla.
"Buffy," he heard his voice come out high pitched, "does this feel weird to you?"
Turning around he faced her, holding her hand in his, "It feels weird to me."
Buffy tilted her head to the side. Was this weird? Hello, It was beyond weird. But none-the-less she was intrigued to let him go on.
He was starting to feel funny, "I'm going to ask you something and I don't want to-I don't' know how to say this," Angel cleared his throat, "Is this what you feel like when I'm close to you?"
"Is what, what it feels like when you're close to me?" her voice deep, bleah, she was so counting down the minutes 'til she was back in her own skin, getting up from the bed "Are we talking butterflies? Or is it that down low tickle? Or the general overwhelming feeling like the world might swallow you whole if you were ever to part..."
Her eyes widened and then she turned away from him, "Forget I said anything," if he was the one feeling the feelings why was it her that felt all vulnerable, and she also wanted a hard drink. Ew.
Angel getting up, standing before her, placing his hand on her arm, god the feeling of him touching her.
Angel's eyes widened and he glanced down towards her pants, with widened eyes he glanced back up. "Do you think the curse would still apply?"
Oh God I said that out loud
"That uh, should we snuggle," He was starting to think like a girl and that was bad, "did I just say snuggle?"
Moving closer, he thought they could still be close but not that close, even if they did do something it would be so awkward that those two words perfect happiness would not even exist.
"So down low tickle, I think I have that right now," Angel coughed.
Buffy stared at him, her, him in horror.
"Ok no. You did not just suggest what I think you just suggested. And if you did then you're so taking that back..."
Without even thinking she was running her fingers through his hair. Angel still wasn't digging being a woman, it was only for 24 hours but did he have to have such big breasts? Did his voice, no her voice, no his voice have to gasp when she touched him. Buffy yanking her hand away, she turned away from him again, stupid hormones, stupid body.
"Don't turn away, I don't mean…"
"God how do men ever get anything done?" this was insane, completely insane, "And quit looking at me like that!"
"What the hell is going on here?"
Grabbing Buffy by the arm Angel yanked her back around, turning her so she could face him. It appeared even if this tiny body he still had his vampirical strength. "These girl hormones are going all crazy on me. Is this what you go through, I don't like it."
He stared at her intently.
Before Buffy could even articulate an answer, his lips were on hers, he'd grabbed her face, her masculine face and was kissing her, and oh god she was kissing back, she pushed Angel hard against the wall, her hands flat against it, one on either side of his head, she pulled back, her breath ragged, she stared deep within his eyes, taking in the glamourized feminine features.
She shook her head.
"Angel I...I can't do this. I just...it's too weird. Even for us. I don't want us to just do this for the hell of it..."
She sat down.
It was all so weird. Angel was so confused, and he didn't know which disturbed him more. The fact that he was glamourized as a woman or that he was kissing Buffy, in a woman's body while she was glamourized as a man.
He sighed, "You're right. I don't know. I think Lark must have done a number on me. A little game."
He stepped away from the wall and then walked to the door, "I think maybe this sleeping arrangement isn't going to work. I'm sorry I kissed you."
He was so embarrassed and when this was over he was going to kill Lark. "I'll be down the hall," he said walking into the hallway and into an empty room. It seemed the longer he stayed glamoured the more he started to feel like a woman.
Sitting on the edge of the bed he simply lay down and wished for sleep so the night would come and they could find Gunn.
Back in Angel's room…
Buffy didn't look up 'til she knew he was gone, lying back down she stared up at the ceiling blankly. This had most certainly been a long night...well after the glamour part anyway.
And for the first time ever once she closed her eyes she went straight to sleep...
The next day...
It was about lunch time when she walked downstairs, the hair on the back of her neck prickling as a very familiar British accent cut through the air.
"Who the bloody hell are you?"
"Spike..." damnit she shouldn't have said his name.
Only one though entering her mind: Oh Angel so better get his ass down here. Now!
Cut to…
A short while later Angel woke up, it was still daylight but sleeping was hard when he was not in his own bed but also his own body! Walking down the stairs, yawning, he saw Spike.
"Spike," he spat out in a feminine voice, "What the hell are you doing here?"
Spike looked at the two strangers, "No," he said in a slow voice, "what the hell are you doing here?"
"Spike just shut up-" Angel said.
But spike cut him off, "Do I know you pet?" he said walking towards Angel, "You act like I know you, lets see how well I know you," spike grabbed Angel, after all he was in a beautiful woman's body and planted a kiss on him.
Buffy's eyes widened. Oh. My. God. Ok Angel in a woman's body but still...this was worse than her worst nightmare...well maybe not...
Angel responded by kneeing him in the family jewels and spitting," Spike," he pointed and before he could stop himself he said something he was going to regret, "it was only that one time and we're not going down that road again."
Spike doubled over in pain, "one time bloody hell," he stood up, "Angel?"
Then Spike made a face and wiped his mouth, "Well then who's that?"
"Buffy," Angel said.
"Does somebody want to explain something to me?" Spike demanded.
"Ok Spike just calm down ok? It's not that...wait. One time? What one time? You two have a one time? When, how...when?"
She looked from Spike to Angel to Spike and back to Angel...hmm Spike and Angel...in Angel form...Together. Naked...ok so not good, think of other things. Scary things. Spike in Xander's Hawaiian shirt. Anya and her tales of her sexcapades with Xander. Giles and my mother having sex.
She shuddered. Shaking her head she forced herself back to the here and now.
"Ok not important right now. In lamens terms? Gravlack demons. Bad. Contamination spreading. Need cure. Now. Needed to infiltrate Wolfram and Hart. Went to some wacked out warlock for glamour. Got info. Sun came up. And here we are."
"And I lied. You guys have a one time?"
"I – We – I," spike sputtered.
"THAT'S NOT IMPORTANT," Angel said a little too loudly, "Lives are in danger. People need saving and there will be no talking of that one time."
That was the last thing he wanted Buffy to find out. "The suns setting in a few moments and we have all of three hours to locate Gunn, get his hair and perform the spell."
Spike looked confused, "You realize his bald right?"
Angel rolled his eyes, "He's not bald everywhere."
"Your on your own mate," Spike said once he comprehended what Angel told him.
Buffy rolled her eyes.
"Spike no one's asking you to do the hair extraction...which on that note, Angel you so know that you're getting that part right?"
Just outside Gunn's vampire lair...
Buffy straightened up her suit, there was only like one and a half hours left now of the stupid glamour.
"You ready?"
"I'm ready," Angel said pushing hair behind his ear, "do you have the stakes?"
Mentally preparing himself he kicked down the door and sauntered inside. Five vampires looked back at him, including Gunn.
"Sorry boys, we just thought we would crash the party," Angel said as he whipped a stake into a vampire's heart who stood directly next to Gunn.
"Hey that's my line..." she looked down at the stupid man body she was stuck in, staking two vamps at once, she'd borrowed Angel's cool arm thingies.
Gunn stayed still, watching them like a hawk. Buffy's eyes meeting his, she let Angel dust the remaining two lackeys, "It's the end of the line,"
"Yeah? For you suits maybe."
"Try me," she said a touch cockily.
Gunn made his move first, Buffy rolling her eyes when Angel stepped in front of her...did she do that? She didn't steal the show...did she?
Angel leapt through the air, thankful he wasn't wearing high heals and jumped on Gunn. He knew it wasn't what the vampire expected but Gunn was even more surprised when Angel, who he did not know was Angel due to the fact that he was in a woman's body, ripped off his shirt.
"NO CHEST HAIR!" He screamed, "Damnit."
Gunn kicked Angel off of him, "What the hell are you?"
Buffy picked up the heaviest thing she could find and hit Gunn over the head with it.
"A distraction."
Gunn swayed a bit before, before hitting the ground, out cold. Kicking him with her foot to roll him onto his back, she tossed her weapon...
"What are you waiting for?"
Angel got to his feet.
"Remove his pants."
"You remove his pants," Angel countered. He did not want to even go there.
"Fine," off Buffy's look, " I'll do it."
Unzipping his pants he tugged them down to Gunn's knees and then looked at Buffy and pulled down Gunn's boxers, "Looks like we got hair," he didn't' want to look at anything else. Quickly he yanked it out and handed it to Buffy, "Did you bring a vial?" he asked.
It took all her will power not scream ew at the top of her lungs when he handed her the hair, which she quickly deposited into the vial, thankful she had remembered to grab it.
"We should probably take him with us just in case. We can lock him in a cage downstairs."
Back at the Hyperion...
They stood down in the basement, Gunn slumped on the cage floor, Buffy sitting on the stairs, while Angel prepared to do the spell. Glancing at her watch...or well the watch of the guy she looked like, there was still one whole hour to go.
"Am I supposed to be doing something, or is this a one man...woman. Whatever type deal?"
"Well I could use some help. Do we have any Wormwood," Angel asked as he turned on the monitor so he could watch Gunn from the cage.
"It doesn't seem so long ago that I was in his position," he mused.
"Okay so do we got any worm wood?" Angel repeated.
"Wormwood," she repeated quietly to herself, raiding Wesley's old cupboard, "Wolfsbane, mandrake root...isn't that in Harry potter? Wormwood," she pulled the jar out before shouting, "Got it!"
Walking back over to Angel she set the jar down, picking up some incense and smelling it, dropping it she scrunched her nose.
Angel took the wormwood from Buffy, "Actually Wormwood is the main ingredient on Absinthe. What exactly is Harry Potter?"
"You don't know Harry Potter? And I thought Anya was pop culturally challenged. It's a fictional character, you know from a book," smiling she added playfully, Angel just blinking "One of those rectangular objects with pages in it," though it so didn't sound as cute in a man voice.
Sitting up on the counter, "Angel..." she wanted to ask about the 'final battle', she looked at the monitor, Gunn still hadn't moved a muscle. She was guessing he was the last of Angel's friends, "Never mind."
He pulled out a pinch and tossed it in the cauldron and began to crush it with some other herbs, "Buffy, what's wrong?"
She sighed.
"Wrong? No. Nothing. It's just...Angel, are you ok? I mean what happened that day?"
"That was the day we fought back," he said simply and handed her the mortar and pestle, "go ahead and use Gunn's hair."
Buffy added the hair to the mix, though her attention was entirely with Angel...
Running a hand through his hair he thought about that day, how to explain what happened, "You know I honestly thought I could change things from the inside but it wasn't working. That was the day we took out all the main players in the apocalypse."
Resting a hand on the counter, "Wes died that day," I know you probably only remember him from when he was your watcher back in Sunnydale but he changed, so much, he was hardened and a good man, and a good friend," deciding to leave out the whole kidnapping Conner part.
Buffy placing her hand over his, for all the lack of knowledge she had on Angel's friends, Willow had told her about the more ruggedly handsome Wesley, and it didn't take a genius to know they were close. It was in his eyes."Its still rages, the war, demons on every corner and sometimes I wonder, I ask myself was it wall worth it?"
"Was it worth it Buffy?"
"Of course it was worth it. You took a chance. And even if for only a moment. It made a difference. You make a difference," she squeezed his hand gently.
"I don't even want to think of how things would be around here without you...and neither would your friends. The world, well I don't think I have to tell you about the suckage. It's harsh. It'll strip you down. But we keep on fighting. Not for a gold medal, a pat on the back. We do it because we can, because we hope there's something worth saving. And let's face it if there wasn't we wouldn't have made it this far."
She let go of his hand, looking down, "So yeah I think it was worth it...you wouldn't happen to have any water by any chance?"
Angel walked over and pulled a bottle of water out of the fridge and handed it to her.
She had been joking about the water, but she took it anyway.
"After all this time you continue to amaze me. Its why I love you so much," he said it, they both knew it but they also knew what the consequences were for there love. Why deny it? They could never be together.
Buffy smiled, looking up into his eyes. He was the one. He always had been. Always would be. But she'd stopped believing they could be together a long time ago...
Suddenly his face contorted with pain and he gripped the counter, "Oh God," he wanted to dig his nails into the counter.
"Angel," she took a step forward, her arm outstretched, then stopped, it was her own arm again, she almost squealed with glee, except she didn't do that. She was the slayer, not some ditzy blonde who would remain nameless...
After a few moments he looked at his hands, his manly Angel hands. "I think the spell wore off now." It didn't hurt when Lark cast it so why did it hurt now. He was almost afraid to look up and see if Buffy was Buffy again.
"I'll say..." she looked back to him, "Angel! Right. Sorry. Are you ok?" she ran her fingers through his hair, "No horns," stepping round to the back of him, "No tail...what? In my experience pain is generally followed my demon informalities."
Quickly he cupped her face in his hands and kissed her softly, catching Buffy off guard with that kiss. Good kiss. Angel pulling back he grinned, "No female lust hormones as an added bonus, that was all me."
"Female. Lust hormones?" she arched her brow, hands on her hips, she shoved him playfully, glad to be her again, and she took back ever wanting to be taller, she was perfect as she was.
He was very happy to be back in his own body, his skin felt a lot better, "All right so we have to finish this potion, if it works it should turn an acid green. Like the colour of Absinthe."
"Eww. Absinthe. Never had it, and don't want it," Buffy was not a drinker, getting drunk once...twice, was enough to last lifetimes.
Angel said an incantation in Latin, added the appropriate herbs and Gunn's hair. Now they had to wait.
"I'm gonna kill you," A loud voice bellowed out of the speaker.
She jumped a little when she looked at the monitor, Gunn was awake, looking directly at the camera, his hands on the bars, "He does not look like a happy puppy."
"He'll be fine," Angel said, "that cage could hold me it will hold him. Unless somebody unlocks the cage he won't be getting out anytime soon."
If he could sigh he would have happily sighed, "We have a winner, look it's the right colour."
Carefully he began pouring the contents of the potion into the vials and handed half of them to Buffy, "Are you ready to head back to the sewers?"
"There aren't enough words in existence to express how strongly no is the answer to that question. But apparently the bad guys didn't get the memo," she sighed, stuffing the vial into her pocket.
"They should really look into making an Extreme Makeover Evil Edition."
"Buffy," Angel said pocketing his own vial, "has anybody told you just how special you are?" grinning he always did love her wit and unique way of expressing things.
"Sure," she said pretending to think about it, "But it's always nice to hear," she smirked.
Together they walked out of the hotel, into his car and drove to the exact location. Stepping out he pulled open the manhole, dropped inside and waited for her to follow.
At the sewer...
"You know," he chuckled, "I'll catch if you fall." He knew she wasn't going fall, but he also knew he was the only one who could get away with that.
Buffy glared a little, though unable to keep the smile from her face, before jumping down the manhole herself, landing perfectly on her feet, "My hero," she said fluttering her eyelashes, only half committing herself to the sarcasm.
"I miss graveyards."
Angel laughed, "Its time like this when I miss them too."
It was nice to hear Angel laugh for a change, in fact Angel had been more relaxed than she ever remembered him being.
Together they walked through the labyrinth and looked for the exact location they killed the Gravlack Demons. "The scent, is strong," he said.
"Not disagreeing with you there."
The place reeked. Breathing becoming a serious issue...
Turning the last corner he saw the carnage left by the fight, "This is the right spot."
Pulling the vial out he said, "I don't know what kind of reaction this is going to have Buffy," he said softly looking into her eyes.
"Only one way to find out," pulling her arm back, she released her vial with a flick of her wrist, stepping behind Angel, trying to prepare herself for a very possible slimefest round two.
He wasn't sure what to expect but when nothing happened he felt the tension drain out of his shoulders. He was wrong though, he shouldn't of let his guard down because what happened next was unexpected.
"Did you hear that?" He said when he heard a slight rumbling sound.
Suddenly the water started to bubble and in the sewer it roared up like a tidal Wave and drenched both of them. They didn't' even have the chance to run.
Buffy couldn't help but let out a sharp scream as the water crashed against her flesh, the sensation like a thousand knives piercing her skin, fully grateful as Angel protectively pulled her in close, wrapping his arms around her as the water assaulted them and then it grew stronger, he always made her feel so safe...
Taking Buffy's hand "RUN!"
He started running, and so did she, as the water raged behind him, as it chased them through the sewers, both of them moving at the same time, picking up speed they managed to stay one foot ahead of the water, rushing up the ladders to the top.
They finally made it out of the sewer, he was not cold, but he knew Buffy was freezing. She was shivering, her bottom lip trembling, "Cold," freezing didn't quite cover what she felt, so cold in fact it was like her brain was numb from it. Wrapping his arms tightly around her all Angel wanted to do was warm her up. He did not care that they were wet or covered in demon goo, she was Buffy, and he loved her. Gently he kissed the top of her wet hair.
She was wet, cold and kinda tired but the only thing she could think about was him. Angel. He was always such a perfect gentleman, he always knew what to do, and was usually pretty perfect with words, and it felt good when he kissed her, to be enveloped in those big strong arms...
"Its over, lets go get warm," he said and they walked back to the Hyperion.
Not even really noticing how they got to Angel's room, she just watched him, still shivering, stepping into the bathroom, Angel turning on the shower for her until the mirrors steamed up.
He stared at the shower for a moment, "I should give you some privacy."
She grabbed his arm, and he turned back to face her, their eyes meeting, putting her finger over his lips as he tried to say her name, tracing his lips lightly before breathing, "Stay."
And with clothes and all she pulled him into the shower with her, kissing him as if her life depended on it.
He didn't say a word, he just entangled his hands in her wet hair and kissed her as if she was his everything, which she was. Under the hot water he pressed her against the wall, nearly ripping the buttons off her shirt. Dropping to his knees he pressed his face against her cool skin. Breathing her in, letting his mouth run over her stomach, as the hot water washed over him.
And he knew what he was doing was wrong, but he wanted her anyways. Shrugging out of his own shirt he stood up and kissed her once more. "Buffy," it came out as a gasp, "I –I"
I want you
He didn't even need to say it, Buffy seeing it in his eyes, "Me too," she whispered, oh god she wanted him so much, just as much as she always had, if not more, her skin warming to his touch...
Well of course the water helped to, but water? Not what she was thinking about, kissing him back hungrily, her hand on his cheek, moving up through his hair.
Letting him undress her, she closed her eyes just for a moment before watching him once more, she knew they shouldn't, but she didn't want him to stop, and even if she had, the words wouldn't have found her tongue...
Both of them knew what could happen but perhaps in knowing, just knowing was enough to allow them to not have that one moment of perfect happiness.
He wasn't going to stop, consequences be damned, his fingertips unfastened her jeans and he continued to feast on her mouth with his own.
Stepping out of her jeans after Angel had wrestled them down to the shower floor, she laughed a little, wet jeans were tricky, her body trembling for a whole new reason when Angel left kisses all along her skin, getting up once more.
Kissing his neck up to his ear, "I need you," she whispered with longing, her fingers moving down over his chest, tugging at his belt before unfastening it.
"Buffy I want you now," he practically growled while whispering in her ear. Tearing her undergarments as she kissed his neck, while she did the same and he knew the inevitable would happen but if he continued to think about it wouldn't it make it less perfect.
Lifting her up, forcing her to wrap his legs around his waist, he pressed her against the wall while he continued to kiss her. Over and over, back and forth but he wanted her more than anything, but were they both ready?
The water washed them clean, while they explored each other but they had yet to take the plunge.
It was up to her.
Their eyes locked, Buffy placing her hands on the wall behind, digging her knees into Angel's sides, she pushed herself up and then slid slowly down, the two becoming one with their movements, their voices, their breath needed or otherwise, each touch heightened to the point of ecstasy, the water cascading down over them, their kisses searing, her back arching as they reached that moment of pure bliss.
He held her, and she slid gently back to her feet, taking him by the hand, to the bedroom, letting him walk just in front, pulling him hard her knee landing in his gut, elbowing him right in the nose, landing a blow right between his eyes he fell to the floor...
Down in the basement Buffy sat fully dressed, twirling the key round her finger, waiting for either vampire to wake...
Although he had kept telling himself that it would never happen if he kept saying it, it did. In addition, no matter what Buffy would always bring him that one moment of perfect happiness. He never felt the pain of losing his soul since Buffy knocked him out unconscious…
Slowly he stood up.
"Was hoping it'd be you. Angelus," he stood in all his glory, both glancing at Gunn, who sat up ever so slowly using the cage for support as he got up.
"Tranqed him."
"Crazy bitch," Gunn mumbled, "Now we can't have that can we?" Angelus grabbed Gunn's head, rammed it against the cage until he dropped cold once more.
"Hey Buff," Angelus said wrapping his fingertips around the cool steel of the bar. "I guess Spike was right, you are into kink," he chuckled, "Why don't you let me out and I can show you what spike never could."
At that exact moment a bright flash of green blinded him followed by a cheerful witch.
"The Calvary has arrived," she said holding an orb of Thesula.
Buffy smirked getting up off the step, "Kinda puts a crimp in your return party huh?" she stood at her best friend's side.
"You didn't really think I'd let you lord over the basement while I sat wondering however to bring Angel back before drawing the obvious conclusion of calling Willow did you?"
"Which perfect timing Will," Buffy giving her a hug.
"Thanks," she said with her usual smile.
Angelus was furious, he pressed his lips together, narrowed his eyes and kicked Gunn in the face even though the other vampire was unconscious.
Buffy scrunched her nose, a boot to the face was nothing to laugh about, vampire or not...
Angelus pointing one finger at Willow, "Should we ever cross paths, once more I will kill you. I will rip out your eyes while you're sleeping and wear them as a necklace."
Even he knew he was screwed, fighting against the red headed wicca was too much.
Willow turned towards Buffy, "See what happens when you get a little to happy with each other? Hope it was worth it."
Buffy smiled sheepishly, as Willow began setting up everything until she was ready to cast the spell.
Willow began chanting in Latin, " Quod perditum est invenietur..."Nisi mort. Nisi al finitei. Te invoc, spirit al trecerii... Te implor doamne. Nu ignora accasta rugaminte lasa orbita sa fie vasul care-i va transporta sufletul la el."
"Este scris aceasta putere este dreptul poporuil meu de a conduce. Asa sa fie, acum."
But before she said the final words she added a little twist at the end. Something she would explain to Buffy.
"ACUM! ACUM!" and then she relaxed.
"Buffy there is something I gotta tell you-" She said.
Except the double screams of pain echoed through the basement and then as soon as it begun it was over, "I feel different." Angel said clutching his chest while Gunn slowly stood up.
Gunn cracked his nose back into place, before rubbing the back of his head, still feeling sluggish from the tranquilliser, groaning, "Damn, feels like I was run over by a two tonne truck...twice."
Buffy rushed forward, "Sorry about the whole knocking you unconscious thing, forgive me?" she said leaning up to kiss him softly through the bars.
"Of course I'm going to forgive you," Reaching his hand through the cage he wanted to hold hers in his own.
Buffy smiled before glancing over at Gunn, "We should really get you lying down, or sitting...wait Will what were you gonna say?"
"Well," Willow cleared her throat, "and I'm really sorry about this Gunn," turning towards Buffy. "Spike went on a quest to restore his soul which is why he has it and is not curse. I sort of found out how the spell was done but I had to transfer the curse to somebody."
Willow turned to Gunn, "I'm sorry Gunn but I transferred it to you. If you experience one moment of perfect happiness then you get to go all," she lifted her fingers and went "Grrrr."
"So Angel, this means you got a soul and unless somebody rips it out then it isn't going anywhere," Willow grinned.
Wow. Buffy could most definitely be coloured stunned. Gunn wearing a similar expression.
"And you're sure? He's really curse free? No backfire, no consequences?"
Willow nodded.
Angel took a step back. This information did not register for a moment and he didn't know what to say, "Does this mean we get to come out of the cage?"
Buffy unlocked it pulling the door open, both she and Angel stepping forward into the most passionate of kisses.
"Uh guys..." Willow interrupted.
"What?" Buffy said her voice coming out all dreamy.
"Well uh maybe Angel might wanna uh you know...put some clothes on."
"Right," Buffy said quickly pressing herself against him, Buffy well aware of how much Angel was pressing into her.
Angel flushed while Gunn walked out, "This is messed up, not only do I get vamped I gotta see Fang brother one here full monty. And here I thought we were friends," Gunn said to Willow and walked upstairs.
Buffy, after some consideration, adding, "Or maybe you guys could just uh...could just, you know go upstairs. We'll...catch up later? What?"
"Thanks Willow," Angel said, still blushing, "I've been searching for the one person who could remove my curse and it turns out I knew who it was all along."
Together he walked upstairs with Buffy.
Together they would begin a new life.