Title: And A Day

Author: Jude (Sk8erGurl24)

Disclaimer:I'm not Joss Whedon. I don't own a thing.

Summary: My take (because I know this has been done a billion times before) on what Buffy could have said to get Angel to stay during 'The Prom'.

Note:Takes place when they're in the sewer. (ALSO. I AM NOT stopping work on The Token. This is just to get me out of my writers block!!!!!!) Also, I did the dialogue based on an on line transcript I found, so if the movements don't match up with the actual ep, sorry.

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"I say patrol's not complete without a trip to the stinky sewers," Buffy Summers, Slayer, said as she and her vampire boyfriend, Angel, navigated the dingy sewer tunnels.

"I'm sure I saw him come down here," Angel said, referring to the vampire they'd been chasing above.

"Couldn't we just let this be the vamp that got away? We could say he was this big." She held her fingers about a foot apart, as if she were a fisherman telling the tale of his prized bass.

"What can I say? I need closure," He joked dryly.

"You need clothes. You don't have a tux, do you?"

"Since when did patrolling go black tie?" Angel shot her a quick glance but continued to move forward.

"For the prom, silly."

"We have more important things to think about right now than a dance, Buffy."

"Sorry, Giles. I'll be quiet." She rolled her eyes.

He sighed. "Come on, don't be that way."

As if he'd been waiting, the vampire they'd chased into the sewers dropped from the ceiling, snarling with his fangs bright in the dim light.

"Not now," Buffy said and staked him. Turning back to Angel, she said, "I'm not being that way. Every time I say the word 'prom', you get grouchy."

"I'm sorry. I'm just worried that you're getting too...invested in this whole thing."

"What whole thing? Isn't this the stuff that I'm supposed to get invested in? Going to a formal, graduating, growing up."

"I know," he said softly.

"Then what's with the dire?"

"It's uh, it's nothing." Angel averted his eyes from hers and took a few steps away from her.

Buffy followed him. "No, you have 'something' face."

"I think we need to talk. But not now, and not here."

"No. No, if you have something to say, then say it." There was silence. "Angel, drop the cryptic. You're scaring me."

"I've been thinking...about our future. And the more I do, the more I feel like us, you and me being together, is unfair to you."

"Is this about what the Mayor said?" she asked. "Because he was just trying to shake us up."

"He was right," He said in a low voice.

"No, no he wasn't. Angel, he's the bad guy."

"You deserve more," he said, turning to face the tiny Slayer. "You deserve something out of demons and darkness. You should be with someone who can take you into the light. Someone who can make love to you."

"I don't care about that," Buffy said desperately.

"You will," Angel stated. "And children."

"Children? Can you say jumping the gun? I kill my goldfish!"

"Today. But you have no idea how fast it goes, Buffy. Before you know it, you'll want it all, a normal life."

"I'll never have a normal life," she said weakly.

"Right. You'll always be the Slayer," he said, bitterly. "But that's all the more reason why you should have a real relationship instead of this, this freakshow."

Buffy's eyes widened and tears were evident in them.

"I didn't mean that."

Yeah right, Buffy thought. I know you. You don't say it unless you mean it.

Aloud, she said, "I'm gonna go." She turned to leave, but Angel grabbed her arm, spinning her around to face him.

"I'm sorry. Buffy, you know how much I love you. It kills me to say this."

"Then don't. Who are you to tell me what's right for me? You think I haven't thought about this?" Angry now.

"Have you, rationally?" She couldn't believe he dare say this. Did he honestly not think she never wondered what the future would be like? Sure, before her seventeenth birthday she didn't, but now when there was so much to loose...

"No. No, of course not. I'm just some swoony little schoolgirl, right?"

"I'm trying to do what's right here," Angel said through clenched teeth. "I'm trying to think with my head, instead of my heart."

"Heart?" She near yelled. "You have a heart? It isn't even beating!"

"Don't." The anger and sorrow rolling off the vampire was almost palpable.

"Don't what? Don't love you? I'm sorry. You know what? I didn't know I got a choice in that. I'm never gonna change. I can't change. You said it yourself, I'm always going to be the Slayer. You and I both know that means I may not live to see tomorrow! I want the rest of my today to be with you!"

He stood rigid and stared at her, long and hard.

"What can I do to make you see?" she pleaded.

"See what?" It was a dumb thing to say, he knew it, but it was all he could force through his lips.

"See that some...some average Joe could never be with me. Do you know how complicated it would be to explain where I go every night and why I come home bloody and messy? O-or why I have more weapons than the Civil War section of a museum? Oh, and say this mystery guy doesknow I am the Slayer, what about the fact that when I went patrolling every night, he'd be sitting at home worried? And, saying that I actually care about this guy, which I don't think's possible, don't you think I'd be worried about him worrying, thus making me distracted?

"Don't you see that sunlight's not everything? I mean, how often do you see me in the sun? Um, I mean how often do you picture me in the sun? I mean..." She sighed. "You get it. I spend most of my days in a stuffy library and at school, and my nights are spent in a graveyard, or warehouse, or wherever the latest baddie's hiding out. Let's face it, sun tanning isn't on my to-do list. Not anymore. And kids. If I may not live 'til tomorrow, when am I going to find time to have kids? But, say, I did live long enough to have a baby, do you know how many people would be after it? It wouldn't be safe, Angel. As much as you like to deny it, it's true. Do you see now?"

Angel couldn't say anything. He was dumbfounded.

Seeing his silence, Buffy continued to strike. "Angel, I've never felt like this, the way I do when I'm with you, before. And I'm pretty sure I never will. This isn't some high school romance. It's the real deal. Are you sure you want to give up on it?"

The vampire fought back tears. What had he ever done to deserve this amazing woman?

"No," he choked out. "But it doesn't change a thing."

"It changes everything! Willow's getting pretty handy with her magic and stuff, maybe she could find a way to bind your soul. If it's out there, she'd find it. You know she would, for us. Angel, please. I just got you back. I'm not ready to loose you again."

That did it. Angel pulled Buffy to him and smothered her in a loving embrace.

"Did you mean it? Everything you said?" he asked into her hair.

"Every bit of it. I don't need picnics and sunlight to be happy. Nor do I need sticky-fingered children. And I could even live without making love. All I need is you, night, and kisses in the graveyard. I'm being totally honest. One-hundred percent."

"And my soul? You meant what you said about that, too?"

"Of course! That would be for me as much as it would be for you. And you can't tell me you think Willow wouldn't find something."

"She would."

"Exactly."

Buffy looked up at Angel and their eyes locked. Angel titled his head down to hers, and their lips met; hot and cold. When what started off innocent became more and more passion-filled, Buffy had to break off, gasping for breath.

"I love you," he said softly.

"I love you, too. Forever?" They both knew she wasn't asking would he love her forever (everyone knew the answer to that), rather would he be there for her forever.

"Forever," he promised. "And a day."

The End

A/N: Love it? Hate it? Lemme know. I will now continue working on The Token.