Author's Note: This was originally written as a one shot but I realized that a lot of the things referenced here were all based on ideas that were only in my head so I figured I'd turn it into a chapter story. Also, I want to make it very clear that I haven't even watched the full first season of Angel yet (but, to all those Angel fans out there, I promise I will watch the whole series eventually) so I don't really know many of the facts. I will continue to explain some background information that I've either assumed or inferred throughout the course of this story.
Here is the prologue! Hope you enjoy.
"I choose her."
She stifled a sob and with a whisper: "Why?"
"Because she knows my real name."
"Angel, I –"
"When she kisses me, she calls me Liam. When she comforts me, she calls me Liam. When we make love, she calls me Liam."
She looked up in surprise, "You can…I mean, you don't…how?"
He sighed and looked at her with eyes that burned with ancient passion, "Buffy, she might be the one I choose, but she still isn't you."
"So you can make love to her…and she calls you Liam."
He nodded, "She calls me Liam."
A silence. And then, "You never told me –"
"You never asked."
A rye laugh strangled by tears escaped her lips, "I didn't think it was possible for you to break my heart a third time."
Fourth, he thought idly, remembering the twenty-four hours that were no more.
Aloud, he said, "I'm sorry."
She nodded but wouldn't meet his eyes, "Me too."
He took a step towards her and rested his hand against her cheek, guiding her eyes to meet his, "Buffy, you and me? We have forever. I'm not getting any older and neither are you. But this is my chance to be with her, my only chance. You and me have all the time the world."
With a slow, meaningful kiss on her cheek, he left the room.
She looked down at her stomach where a pool of blood was forming, "I'm sorry, Angel. We're out of time."