Just A Kiss

by Persephone Summerwick

After an apocalypse stopped by Angel and his friends, Angel reaches his shanshu and decides to go to Sunnydale to be with Buffy, but things aren't as great as he thought they'd be. Note: This is a C/A Fic.

Title: Just A Kiss
Author: Sylvia

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters at all in the Angelverse or Buffyverse.
Rating: PG-13

Spoilers: Angel Season 3 Pre-Connor.

Pairing: C/A, Little B/A

Summary: After an apocalypse stopped by Angel and his friends, Angel reaches his shanshu and decides to go to Sunnydale to be with Buffy, but things aren't as great as he thought they'd be. Note: This is a C/A Fic.

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"But why?" Fred asked sadly, crossing her arms. Angel ran his fingers through his hair, unsure of how to explain this to them without getting them too upset.

"It's just..I'm human now. There's really no reason for me to stay." Just like he feared, Angel said exactly the wrong thing. Not even meaning the last sentance, he wished he could take it back.

"No reason? Our reason is that we were your friends and wanted to help kill demons. And you have no reason to stay now that you're human?" Cordelia asked, her voice rising angrily.

"That came out wrong. I meant that you guys are my friends but.." Angel stopped. Clearing his throat before continuing. "I always knew that if this day ever came..I'd go back to Sunnydale.

"So you're leaving? Just like that?" Gunn asked, clearly pissed. "You wanna fire us first? A little icing on the cake?"
"Gunn, I'm sorry. But..I'll keep in touch. I can't miss this opportunity. I mean, Cordy you knew I would go back to Buffy if I shanshued didn't you?" Cordelia scoffed.

"Well sure, but I didn't think it'd be so soon! You know what? Just go. We don't need you. We can handle this business on our own."

"Wait you're keeping it open?"

"Why shouldn't we?"
"Because you could die. I'm not here to help you anymore." Angel crossed his arms defiantly, certain that their idea was nuts.

"Well our lives aren't your concern anymore. You made your choice." Cordelia grumbled, stomping out of the Hyperion. Angel looked down.

"I understand the predicament you're in, Angel..but..I'm not certain exactly of..what to think of this." Wesley shrugged, walking away. Fred and Gunn looked at one another.

"When are you leaving?" Fred asked.

"Tomorow morning..I need to finish packing first." Angel understood their anger directed at him, it made sense. But now that he was human he wanted to go back to Sunnydale. To be with Buffy. "Do you think I should..talk to Cordelia?" He asked, uncertainly.

"And get her more pissed at you?" Gunn started. "Nah. Don't waiste your breath. After all, you're human now." Gunn walked off. After a hesitated moment, Fred followed behind.

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"God, can you believe him Dennis?" Cordelia asked, pacing in her apartment. "He doesn't even care! After all we've been through together, he goes off to Sunnydale..Ass!" She muttered, stomping her foot. "I mean it's not like he's getting older by the second! Can't he just wait to go to Sunnydale? And no! I didn't think he would go to Sunnydale if he shanshued! I always thought he'd stay here with me..Uhm..us..and.." She sighed, sitting down on her couch. "I'm stupid." After a moment the mini white board Cordelia got Dennis flew over and had 'No you're not' written on it. She shrugged and layed her head on her chin.

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Angel woke up, a smile on his face. He was still human. It was still real. But his friends were still mad at him. Hopefully they'd get over it so they could keep in touch. He got out of the bed and pulled on his clothes, picking up his cellphone from the end table. Angel fidgeted with it.

"The numbers are so tiny.." He thought aloud, dialing Buffy's number. After a few rings there was an answer.

"Y'ello?" Dawn asked.

"Dawn. It's Angel. Is Buffy there?" There was a slurp at the other end, like Dawn was taking a lollipop out of her mouth.

"She's here. One min." Dawn looked away from the phone. "BUFFY!" She called. Angel heard the phone switch to someone else.

"Angel." Buffy said.

"Hey..Today's the day." He said happily. Buffy grinned.

"Yeah. I can't wait to see you."

"I finished packing late last night so I'll be there in a few hours."
"Uhm, okay. Bye." Buffy hung up, and after a moment, so did Angel. He bit his bottom lip. Was this the wrong decision? He shrugged it off and dragged three suitcases out of the room, struggling with bringing them down the steps. Once he got to the bottom, he let out a breath, walking over to the phone. He dialed Cordelia's number.

"Hello?"
"It's Angel."

"..."

"Hello?"
"Uh..Hi." Cordelia said quickly. "You're leaving today." She heard Angel sigh on the other end of the line.

"Yeah." He said, almost sadly.

"Uhm..I'll miss you." There was no response. Figuring Angel found what she said awkward, she looked down.

"We can still..see each other. Not as often as we used to but.."

"Are you still at the Hyperion?...Or are you on the road already?"
"I'm at the hotel." Angel shifted to his other foot.

"Good..Good..Can I come..say goodbye?"

"Yeah-yeah, of course!" Angel spoke quickly, wanting to get a proper chance to say goodbye to her, hoping they could still be friends even after he got to Sunnydale.

"Okay. I'll come, don't leave yet..Bye."

"Bye." He hung up, straightening his shirt. His heartbeat quickened, a new feeling to him. Why was he suddenly so nervous? "Deoderant.." Angel thought aloud, hurrying up the steps to apply some. Fred peaked from around the corner, smirking. Kyerumption and Moira.

Once Cordelia arrived, Angel was waiting on the couch, slouched over, elbows leaning on his legs. When he saw the double doors open, he stood up. She walked over to him, smiling awkwardly.

"Uhm." Angel started.

"So.." She said. He cleared his throat. "I guess this is it." She said.

"It's not like it's the end. We'll still see each other."

"Yeah, like once every three years." Angel's eyes looked like he was hurt for just a split second. Were they really going to be apart for that long? Sunnydale was barely two and a half hours away.

"It doesn't have to be that long."

"Angel, you'll have a new life. Hell you'll end up marrying Buffy and having little kiddies running around the house. You'll forget about me." She said, looking down. Angel's eyebrows furrowed.

"Do you really think I could forget you?" He asked. She looked back up at him, confusion etched on her face. "Cordelia you are the most unique person I've ever met. Sixty years from now, I'll always remember you." After that there was a deafening silence which made them both shift uncomfortabely.

"I guess I'll see you...god knows when." She sighed. Angel nodded sadly. She leaned in to hug him and after a moment he accepted the hug and they wrapped their arms around each other. They hugged a bit longer then they meant to and they slowly moved apart. Once they were inches apart from their faces, their lips crashed together. He caressed his tongue with hers, his hands on her waiste. One hand roamed through her hair, her arms wrapped around his neck. They paused and immediately jumped apart.

"Uh..Uhh.I-" He said quickly, stuttering.

"Yeah-uhm-you should-"
"Yeah. Right.." He stepped further back so they were a few feet apart. "Uh..Bye Cordelia." He grabbed his suitcases and practically tripped, escaping. Once the door closed behind him, Cordy' hand went to her mouth, covering it, completely shocked.

"What the hell is wrong with me?" She stood there a moment, processing what happened. A tear slid down her cheek. It was just a kiss.

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Angel gripped the steering wheel of the running car, not bothering to drive yet. What had happened? Why had it happened? Did it mean anything? Angel shook off the thoughts and stepped on the gas pedal, driving in thought. Scratching his head, he didn't know what to think of what had happened. Gripping the wheel tighter, his free hand tapped the headboard.

"What the hell.." He muttered. Strangely to him, he didn't regret what had happened. But nothing could come of it. After all. It was just a kiss.

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Once Angel arrived in Sunnydale, he felt his stomach twist in nervousness. Getting out of the car, he walked to the back and opened the trunk, pulling out the handle from each suitcase and dragging them to the house. When he was halfway across the yard the door swung open. Buffy came running down and in to his arms. Angel 'Oofed' at the sudden pressure.

"You're here. In the sunlight." She stepped back, smiling. "God, this is really real." She stepped back more to admire him. "You have no idea how long I've dreamt of this moment. Angel felt a twinge of guilt. He hadn't thought much about his shanshu, thinking it was so far in the future.

"You look-pretty." Buffy frowned at his lack of better judgement. Getting over it fairly quickly, she took one suitcase from him so he could hold two. "Come in."

"Are you sure you want me to stay-at your house-with you? I can sleep at the mansion if it's too much too soon.."

"Nonsense. Dawn'll get used to it, I'm sure." He followed her to the door. Opening it, she walked in, Angel walking in behind her, admiring the house he hadn't seen in years. He saw Dawn on the couch doing her homework. She looked over at them, tapping the eraser of her pencil against the spiral notebook on her lap.

"So, how's everybody in LA?" Buffy asked, dropping a suitcase by the steps." After a small hesitation, Angel placed his down and stood up straight, crossing his arms across the blue button down shirt he chose to wear. He needed a new wardrobe now that he was human. He needed a lot.

"Uhm..Okay."
"Cordy? How's she?" Angel's heart fluttered and he didn't know why.

"Uh..you know..She's Cordelia." He said in a futil attempt to change the subject. Buffy raised her eyebrows and slowly nodded.

"Let's bring this up to my room."
"Y-Your room?"
"Uh..Yeah. Where you'll be sleeping? I mean..of course if it's too much too soon? You can sleep on the couch until you're ready if you want."
"Uh no. I'm fine."

"Okay. Then my room it is." She smiled, lifting one suitcase. Angel struggled with dragging the other two up to Buffy's room. "Well have to share a bathroom. But I have a medicine cabinet and a shelf in it..so yeah." Buffy opened the door to her room, dropping the stuff by the bed. Angel did the same.

"Alright." He said simply, shifting in his spot.

"Don't be uncomfortable. You're home." Home. He used to think that wherever Buffy was, was his home. But, things changed. LA was his home. It was. He just nodded.

"We should go out to lunch. To celebrate. Did you celebrate with your friends?"
"Eh..not really."
"Mm..Well we should. Let me just get changed in to something more public. You can start unpacking. I cleared out three drawers in my dresser for you. She walked in to the bathroom, closing the door behind her. Three drawers. Angel thought. That's not enough. Sighing, he knew he needed his space. This was too cramped. His thoughts drifted back to Cordelia. He took his cellphone out of his pocket and ran his finger over to the top, debating on whether to call or not. He should probably check in and tell them he arrived in Sunnydale safely. That was his excuse. He wanted to hear her voice. Dialing the Hyperion, the phone rang a few times before an answer came.

"Hello?" Cordelia asked, playing with the cord of the phone.

"It's Angel." She paused and cleared her throat.

"Hi."
"I just wanted to call and let you guys know I uh..arrived safely."

"Good."

"How is everyone?"
"You were gone for three hours Angel, we're the same." She said, laughing nervously. Angel nodded, remembering she couldn't see him.

"Right. Okay. Uhh..Call me if you need anything."
"Right. Okay. Bye." Cordelia said.

"Bye." Angel hung up, placing the phone on the end table next to the lamp. Buffy's room was more mature now. Sighing, he leaned against the headboard. He could hear the shower running. Knowing this would take a while, Angel got up and walked down the steps. Dawn was still doing her homework.

"Need help?" She looked up.

"Nah, I got it." Angel slowly nodded and sat on the other couch. The news was on. Fidgeting, not knowing if it would be okay to turn up the volume, he glanced at Dawn. Buffy did say that this was his home now, but it still felt wrong. Leaning forward, Angel picked up the remote and turned up the volume a bit so he could hear it. Dawn glanced up but just looked back down.

"And in local news..the police shooting involving an unknown male is still ongoing. It has been revealed that he has two female hostages inside." Angel leaned back on the couch, watching but not really paying attension. He didn't know if coming was right or not. The tv went to commercials.

"Ooh!" Dawn shouted, throwing the spiral notebook to the ground and grabbing the remote from Angel, turning up the volume a bunch, jumping.

"Buy a trickster rick today!" The man shouted on the commercial. "Coming with gum pieces that really taste like ashes and pencils that don't really work!" The man continued to say the trick games that came with the package. "Order today! 1-800-Tricks!" The commercial changed so she turned it back down and sat down. Angel raised his eyebrows.

"You want one of those?"
"Totally."
"Aren't you a little...old for that?" Dawn scoffed and put her homework away. She looked over at him.

"So..you're human."

"Yes."

"Right because you became a shoe?"
"Shanshued." He smirked. Dawn nodded and looked him over.

"You don't look any different." She stated, eyeing him suspiciously. Angel looked over at her and shrugged.

"I feel a lot different. But not..freer...like I thought i'd be.." He said disapointedly. Buffy came down the steps. He got up.

"You ready?"
"Sure. Where are we going?"

"To eat. Wanna come, Dawnie?"
"And watch you two dry hump each other? No thanks." Angel blinked. After a pause Buffy came back to her senses and took Angel by the hand and led him out.

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Cordelia flipped the axe in her hands. The car holted to a stop. Getting out, Gunn, Wesley, Cordelia, and Fred got ready to battle.

"Are you sure you wanna do this Fred?" Cordelia asked.

"Well..yeah. I mean if Angel's gone I gotta learn to fight someday." She said, following them further in to the alleyway.

"What? Where are the vampires from my vision?

"Behind you." A man's cripsy voice said. They turned to see eight vampires give or take. They all took a step back.

"There's no way we can take them all." Wesley said. The vampires ran at them so they raised their weapons, high and mighty. Cordelia spun around with her axe aiming for their neck. The vampire ducked and twisted her arm back, pulling her to him. Fred staked him from behind.

"Thanks." She said. Gunn threw a vamp in to the wall, lifting his stake just to get pulled back by another. Three advanced on Wesley. He used his crossbow and got one. The other two attacked so Cordelia and Fred ran over and pulled them off. They elbowed each girl and they went flying in to the wall.

"Cor, Fred!" Gunn shouted, running over to help after staking another two. Four left. Before he could help up Fred two vampires threw him back. He staggered back and threw one head first in to the wall, staking it. One picked up Fred while the other picked up Cordelia. Wesley was fighting off one but failing, so Gunn, not seeing Cordelia and Fred at the moment started to help Wesley. One vampire sunk it's teeth in to Fred's delicate neck. Elbowing her captor, Cordelia staked him and ran to Freds aid. She threw the vampire off of her and to Gunn who easily staked him, Wesley finishing off the last vampire.

"Fred!" Cordelia kneeled down. "Call 911." Gunn flipped out his cell. Wesley walked over and ripped off a piece of his shirt, handing it to Cordelia who held it to Fred's neck to cease the blood flow. Fred was unconscious.

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The next few missions Cordelia, Wesley and Gunn handled on their own while Fred recovered in the hospital. They decided not to inform Angel because he was no longer part of their lives.

"I don't think we should keep the agency open. I can't risk something like that happening again." Wesley told them. They all knew it was true so just hung their heads in thought.

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Angel woke up to the aroma of bacon in the air. Becoming attracted to the scent lingering in the air, he followed it to the kitchen. Tara was making breakfast. Angel cleared his throat.

"Hi." He said. They hadn't really met properly, but had been introduced the other day. She offered a short smile.

"H-Hi." She said, turning back to the bacon and eggs. "W-Want some f-food?" She asked.

"Uh..If I'm not imposing."
"Of course n-not." She took out another plate. "Scrambled or fried?" She asked. Angel thought.

"I haven't tried either yet." She seemed surprised.

"I-I'll give you scrambled. Most people like it more. Dawn l-likes to dip her eggs in ketchup." Angel made a face at that.

"Doesn't sound too appetizing." Tara handed him a plate with bacon and eggs on it. She placed a fork down. "Thanks." He said.

"Dawn! Foods ready!" Tara called. Dawn came in a few minutes later.

"Is Buffy still sleeping?" Tara asked Angel as Dawn scooted up on a chair next to Angel at the island counter, chewing on a piece of toasted bread, using her fork to put the eggs on it and eating it.

"Yeah. I didn't want to wake her." After that statement they see Buffy standing in the doorway in a white tanktop and grey sweatpants.

"You could've woken me." She sat down on the other side of Angel, waiting to be served.

"Mm..This is so good." Angel sighed. Tara smiled shyly. Dawn laughed.

"Then you'll love chocolate."
"I've tried chocolate before. When I was human last time. It only lasted a day though." Angel looked at Buffy. She seemed confused.

"Why didn't I know about this?"
"Good morning all. I come bearing..well, nothing. Dawn ready for school?" Xander asked. She nodded, swallowing her food and taking a sip of orange juice before taking her backpack off of the chair and running out.

"Toast?" Tara asked, handing him bread.

"Mm. The goodiness of burnt bread." He ate it. "How's life treating you non-dead boy?"

"Uhm..Okay." He said quietly. Everyone paused a moment.

"Oookay then. I'm off to the Xander mobile." Xander left to go drive Dawn to school. Willow entered the kitchen.

"Hi guys." She sat down. Angel sighed. These people were a family, the only one who actually wanted him there was Buffy, and he wasn't even sure he wanted to be here.

"I'm gonna go for a walk." He said. Everyone looked at him.

"Want me to come?" Buffy asked.

"No I'd just like some..peace." He got up and walked right out. Bringing his cellphone, he walked a bit in the sunlight, letting the suns rays hit his face. He took out his cell and dialed the Hyperion.
"Hi you've reached Angel Investigations, we're not here right now so leave a message after the tone!" Cordelia's chipper voice said. Sighing, Angel hung up and dialed Cordelia's cellphone. Five rings. No Answer. He decided to try Gunn's cell.

"Hello?"

"It's Angel."
"Oh. What do you want?"

"I wanted to check on all of you guys."

"Oh. Anything else?"

"No I meant-How are you guys?"

"Well you wouldn't know the answer to that, would you?"

"Please Gunn, I'm trying here. How is everybody. Things have been okay?" He asked hopefully. After a sigh from the other end, Gunn answered.

"I'm in the hospital visiting someone right now. If you hadn't left maybe we could have avoided this." Angel went numb.

"Wh-Who? What happened? Are they okay?"
"It's Fred. She was bitten by a vampire." Angel made a fist with his hand and hit himself in the head.

"Damn..Is she okay..?"

"She'll be okay. Not that you care."
"Damnit, Gunn! I do care, as hard as it is for you to accept. No matter what I will always care about all of you so damnit, answer me. Is everyone else okay? No one else is hurt right?"

"Nah man..We're good." Angel nodded, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Good..good. Why isn't anyone answerin at The Hyperion?"
"..I don't know. Cordelia's supposed to be there right now. We were thinking about closing down the agency but we changed our minds."

"Look, all I'm saying is, maybe you should consider it. Fred was hurt and it could have been worse...It might be next time."

"Maybe you should mind your own business." Gunn said, before hanging up. Angel shook his head. He didn't belong here.

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Angel packed his stuff. He had to leave. Back to LA. This wasn't his home.

"Hey, Angel do you-" Buffy stopped at the sight before her. "What the hell is going on?"

"I'm going home."
"You are home, baby." She said, placing a hand on his cheek. He shrugged it off.

"No. I'm not. LA is my home. I'm sorry Buffy but I don't love you anymore. I'll always care about you but..I need LA...I need..Cordy."
"Cordelia?..Cordelia Chase? Please don't tell me your in love with her." He stopped.

"Actually Buffy-"

"Oh god."
"I am." He finished.

"I can not believe this. You're going to her? Aren't you?" He nodded slowly.

"I'm sorry Buffy." He sighed, zipping up his final suitcase. Turning to look at her, he just looked away, walking out the door.

"Goodbye, Angel." She said.

"Don't fall apart over me Buffy, please, be happy."

"I will. I was kind of hoping you'd break up with me...I'm kind of in love with uhmm." Cough. "Spike." Cough.

"Spike? Spike? You know what..I'm not judging. Good luck with...Spike, Buffy." She smiled.

"You too."

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Cordelia yawned, laying on the couch in the Hyperion. Ever since Angel left she'd felt so alone. What happened next she definitley hadn't expected. Angelwalked through the double doors. She sat up.

"Angel?" She stood up and walked over to him, noticing the suitcases he dropped to his side. "What's going on?"

"Don't be alarmed..I'm just..I realized that...LA is my true home. Not Sunnydale. Here. With uhm..with you."
"Me?" She asked, her voice hopeful.

"Yeah." He said uncomfortably. Cordelia furrowed her eyebrows.

"What's the catch?" He chuckled.

"No catch." Leaning forward, he kissed her on the lips slowly, his hands on her back. She returned the kiss with passion. They pulled apart with a smacking noise.

"Wow." She said, her voice high pitched. He smirked.

"Definitley." He kissed her again.

"I could get used to that.." She stated.

"Good, because I'm not going anywhere." He leaned forward and captured her lips in his again.

"Lucky me." Cordelia said breathlessly. "Buffy?"
"We're over..Besides..she's in to..Spike now." Angel smirked. She laughed.

"You're kidding."
"Nope. So...can I have you?" He asked, hands in his pockets like a nervous school boy.

"Oh yeah. I'd like Angel on a platter, no strings attached." Cordelia kissed Angel. Now, it was way more then just a kiss.

End.