Spuffy + everyone else - Giles - Andrew. A good bit into comics, though I havent' gotten to read as many as I'd like to.
"Angel..." Buffy's voice trailed off and the only noise in the room was the Scoobies forks. Dawn had made dinner for the last night her and Xander would be staying over. Willow and Kennedy were planning on leaving a few days later. Buffy and Spike's new apartment in Italy was becoming more and more crowded with constant visitors; Angel was no exception.
Buffy looked down at her plate of spaghetti and contemplated her next action. She had just walked out of the kitchen, through the living room, and finally sat down at the dining table before she realized her ex sitting at the head of the table. She moved forward in her chair and began eating, adding all of her attention to the abnormally running tomato sauce and somewhat under-cooked noodles; oh how she loved Dawn. Spike stood behind her and to her right; hands gripping the table he leaned against a bit too tight. He pushed all of his weight back, making the wooden table filled with coupling photos and a lamp scrape into the newly painted wall.
Spike tried his hardest to keep his discomfort underway. But the fact that Angel was here was proof that he still had spies keeping am eye on Buffy. No one in the gang had contacted him in ages, and Buffy had insisted on keeping their whereabouts on a down low. It had only partially played out the way she wanted. He refrained from talking, though his blood was boiling at the thought of Angel not know Buffy was safe with him.
"Angel said there was some dire apocalyptic crisis going on in Chicago he needed help with," Willow stated, looking wearily between the slayer and her vampires. She could clearly see the tension rising off of Spike in the corner, and as she looked left at Angel, she could tell he was starting to regret coming here. Buffy just looked hungry. Willow put a hand on Kennedy's leg; their chairs were squished together on one end of the table. Xander sat next to them, with Buffy across from him and Dawn between them, across from Angel. Only one empty seat remained between Buffy and Angel. Spike had no intention of moving.
"On a scale of the Master to Willow...how bad is it?" Xander jumped in his seat when someone's foot collided with his shin. A small yelp followed. Xander put a hand on top of Dawns as a sign of protection, though he was in a whole lot more pain than she.
"It's more of a Mayor situation," Angel confirmed, putting his hands together on the table.
Buffy gulped down some water, "You don't need me then."
Spikes fingers were bleeding, Dawn shifted uncomfortably in her seat and Kennedy let her mouth hang open far too long. Angel smelled the blood and looked toward his ex-partner in crime, Spike had his eyes fixated on the blank television screen past the couch and table in front of him. Angel stared long and soon realized Buffy's eyes on him. Finally.
"If I didn't need you, I wouldn't have came all the way out here," Angel said without thinking of the possible innuendos any one could have thought he meant. There was a spine chilling chuckle from the corner of the room. All eyes went on Spike. His bloody hands now in balls at his sides. Buffy finally got some emotion in her face and stood up, calmly walking towards him. They all knew what Spike was thinking; they thought it too.
"William..." Buffy came face to face with him, pulled his hands to her, and opened them. She took a quick breath, her heart swelling at the thought of him hurt. Dawn and Xander scurried past them, their chinaware in hand. Kennedy and Willow were not far behind.
"Spike, this has nothing to do with you," Angel stood.
Buffy whipped around and pointed, "Don't you start. I am sick and tired of all of this. You. You and him. All of it. Stop with the feuding!"
"We always have, love. I'm never going to really like him," Spike said fairly close to her ear. It sent shivers down her body.
"Back atcha, 'blondy-bear'. Seriously, Buffy, I just need your help for a few days," Angel mimicked Harmony's voice for a moment. Spike scuffed.
Buffy turned sideways, "Enough. No, I'm not going with you. And I don't care if you'll never like each other. I'm done hearing about it, and don't even get me started on all the glaring."
"But-" Spike started, throwing a hand up in the air dramatically.
"No. None of that," Buffy scolded him. Angel smiled pathetically, "Or that."
Buffy contemplated her options. She was way past pissed with Angel, but also, she didn't want to give Spike a reason to think he was out of the clear with his obvious attitude right now. So she could either stand there and scold them both, or pull them both aside individually. Both were very tempting offers. If she pulled Spike off into another room, Angel may think he has the upper hand or something. But if she scolded Angel with all his flaws, Spike would think the same. She decided to do the only sensible thing. The one thing she knows she's better at than both of them combined.
"Buff-" Angel got a slap to the face. His hand flying up to check for blood. And as Spike began to snicker, he got a kick to the shin. He held it to his chest for a moment before pulling the tough guy facade while Angel still held his cheek.
"You," She pointed ferociously at Spike, "Need to mind yourself. No matter how much you're enjoying this, hold it in, would ya? Seriously, put you two in a room together and you turn into children!"
Angel made a face towards Spike, Buffy saw, "You. Angel, Angel, Angel. Not so much sense this is what? The second, third apocalypse -I don't even know at this point!- that you've created or been a player in? You're right, you do need me."
The boys were hushed, "You need me to babysit you! Now go, try and stay out of trouble, and get yourself another...younger... slayer who actually needs the field work and stop whatever it is you can't possibly handle with all your resources."
"Buffy, seriously, you don't even want to know what it is? This isn't the Buffy I know. And what happened to the cookie dough analogy?!" Angel motioned toward Spike with obvious hurt and confusion.
"Not everything in life is about you," Buffy took a breath, "I don't need you. And you can't figure out how to let me go and get the closure you deserve."
Spike started pacing behind Buffy as Angel bluntly stated, "So what? You're done baking and this is what you want? This is truly where you want to be in life? Who you want to be with..."
"No I'm not done baking. It's sick that that's all you care about, Angel! When I'm done, none of us will notice. I certainly won't care. I know I'm getting close and yes I do like my life here. It's none of your damn business who with, where, or what I'm living my life like. It hasn't for a very long time. So you pull your spies off of me, stop showing up at my door whenever you please, and above all, stop thinking that I will just drop everything to go with you or do anything for you."
There was a moment of silence, Spike had stopped pacing and now stared at Buffy. Angel spoke, his voice a pitiful sigh, "So it's him."
"Most freaking likely. Angel, it's not about 'who I choose' or 'who I love'. I've chosen you both multiple times, and I love both of you. It's not me. It's the way you two are. How different you are. And I finally see that."
"What're you on about, pet?" Spike moved so they were in a triangle, all eyes on Buffy while she looked between them.
"Don't make me go into it," Was all her response was.
"Say it, Buffy," Angel tried his puppy dog eyes, while Spike gave her a little reassuring smile. She sent him one in return.
"Fine," Her attention turned toward tall, dark, and forehead, "You're an idiot. We we're together, what? Two, maybe three years? Which in that time, you broke up with me, turned evil and almost ended the world. And I killed you, harbored you like a hurt puppy, and then you left. And not to mention how long ago that actually was. I'm a different person and I've had him in my life a hell of a lot longer than you."
"Calm down, love," Spike reached a hand out to her. She pulled away, only to push them both over to the couch and made them sit. She stood in front of the television, arms over her chest.
"No, I'm not done. How about this? I tell you both my pros and cons lists. That way you both know exactly how I look at this messed up love triangle." Buffy began pacing before them, and they looked to each other, worriedly.
"Angel. You were a horrible human, you've admitted it. When Darla sired you, she just unleashed everything that was already you. 'Angelus' is you, Angel is just the part of you that feels bad. A lot of vampires look at the consequences of their actions, not because they are worried but because they need to know how to deal with it, or if it's worth it. Look at him, coming to me when we couldn't have hated each other more, just to stop you. But no, you took that Gypsy girl and killed her. And you got what you deserved. A soul was thrust upon you as punishment. It took you 90 plus years to finally do something with what you had. Why, again? Oh, me. You know, it's kind of creapy to think about. Anyways, I got you fighting that good fight. But that's all you did, all you do. We didn't fall in love, Angel. We worked together, got pushed into horrid situations, and made it through it all. You watched from the shadows and "fell in love" just by the way I act with everyone, except you. I thought I was in love with you because I had never felt that kind of attraction before. I didn't know what I was feeling. God, I was so young."
Buffy took a deep breath, "Yeah, you're good in a fight, are kind, and had the whole mysterious guy thing going for you. I never got to see the side of you that makes quirky comments, or complains about his hair. I had to hear these stories from William, Willow, and even Wesley. I don't know you, Angel. And I excepted that a long time ago. I let you go, and soon after, I got the closure I needed."
Spike shifted uncomfortably on his end of the couch and Angel leaned forward, his hands clasping together on his knees, "What are you saying?"
"I loved you once. I wasn't in love with you. And I don't love you now. I'm sorry," Buffy had stopped her pacing momentarily.
"How, how can you say that?" Angel sounded desperate.
"Because of William," She smiled for a moment and then continued, "He was a mama's boy who couldn't write worth a damn and loved a woman who never gave him the light of day. But he kept on writing for her. After being sired, he turned his mother and then had to kill her. It took him 100 plus years to realize it was the demon saying those things to him and not his mom. She loved him. There's a huge difference between you; he was loved, he was good and pure. And after that, he still had humanity left. You heard what that demon said back when Angelus and Drusilla were here, he reeked of humanity. And he saught out that soul. For me, of all things to do it for. It took him months to do what you couldn't in 90 years. He let someone in, he realized what could do to help, and he actually started writing some good poetry..." Buffy smiled innocently at Spike, who sat astonished. Angel rubbed his face.
"Well, I think I should go," Angel started.
As he stood, so did Spike, "No, mate. At least have a drink with me first."
Angel and Buffy both looked at Spike. He shrugged and lead Angel out onto the balcony, off of the dining room. Then, he went back into the kitchen and filled to glasses with pigs blood. Willow and Kennedy were puting brownies in the oven, Spike wondered when they had bought all the ingredients for that. Dawn and Xander were close together infront of a laptop screen. No one looked to see what Spike was up to. What an odd bunch, Spike thought. Buffy caught him as he walked back into the living room. Her hand on his upper arm, her eyes held confusion.
"What are you doing?" She asked.
Spike chuckled, sat the drinks down, and cupped her face tenderly, "I'm having a chat with my grandsire. You know, we do that sometimes. Come on Buffy, you just royally rejected the guy. If it had been me, he would have felt bad and probably offered me a drink also. So, let me talk to him. Help him even."
Buffy smiled up at him, her mind yelling at her that she made the right choice and never to let such an encredible man go, "Okay."
Spike handed Angel a cup and settled in, leaning on the balcony with him. Angel mumbled a thank you and kept his eyes forward. Spike looked out at the city, it was getting darker somehow and more streetlights were flickering on. Couples, new and old, walked hand in hand down various streets. Whole groups of teenagers currupt the streets they passed through. It all looked so simple.
"I'm happy for you," Angel finally said.
Spike knit his eyebrows together, "Why?"
"You got the girl. You get to be happy and have a life with her. I guess I knew I didn't love Buffy anymore. I think I always have. She's not who I fell in love with, and definately not who I'd want to spend a lifetime with. That was Cordelia. And my whole fantasy of being there, with Buffy when she's old and grey was just a distraction. I guess I haven't been able to handle Cordy not being here. She sacrificed so much, for me and the world, and all she got in return was a coma and ultimately death. She deserved more than an ex-evil vampire with brooding issues. And that's exactly what Buffy deserves. She deserves to be happy, and she is, with you. I don't hate you, Spike. I don't know what it was, but we both know we were brothers." Angel's face held an expression of clearity.
"We still are, even with souls we figured out how to be partners in crime again," They chuckled.
"Glad to hear that again," Buffy leaned against the sliding door. Spike looked back at her with a smile.
Willow and Kennedy came racing up with an exciting idea, "How about we all go out tonight?"
"Yeah, give Angel a proper time before he goes back to the dire apocalypse," Spike hit him on the back. His smile still remained.
Angel finished off his cup, "What did you have in mind?"
"Bowling!" Dawn yelled, walking through the apartment. Xander ran out of the kitchen, only to take a sharp left and slam into the bathroom.
"Sounds good to me," Buffy looked between the soulful vampires before her.
Spike downed his blood, "Sure."
Willow and Kennedy shared a look, "We'll go look up a place!"
"I could use a bit of fun. Do you mind if I bring someone along? I kind of forced her to come all the way out here with me.." Angel stared at the floor.
Spike's smile grew, "Is this who I think it is? Let me guess, short, blonde, and goes fierce with the full moon?"
"Maybe," Angel smiled at Spike's idiotic comment.
"Then it's settled, Bowling," Dawn jumped up and down. Buffy laughed at her, and strutted into the apartment for her coat.
Xander came out of the bathroom as everyone was putting on their coats, "Where's the Justice League going off and leaving Aqua Man for?"
"Sense when are you Aqua Man?" Willow questioned.
"Well you all got the cooler ones," Xander explained.
"Whatever," Willow smirked, knowing she was probably Green Lantern in the Xander Harris superhero book.