Title: Gealach Gorm

Author: Sk8erGurl24

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Everything belongs to the wonderful man we know as Joss Whedon.

Summary: Just my way of fixing things in Buffy season 4 and Angel season 1. I wanted to get Buffy and Angel back together and Willow and Oz to stay together. Goes up to Buffy episode 'The Initiative' (somewhere before, like after 'Wild at Heart' but before 'The Initiative') and the Angel episode 'Sense & Sensitivity' (Again, somewhere after 'Rm w/a Vu' but before 'Sense & Sensitivity'). I didn't want to deal with the angsty-post-I Will Remember You stuff.

Note: This may become a series, which I want to do because I've never written a series before. The title means 'Blue Moon' in Gealic. Oh, and Oz never left, because in this, Veruca never came! Yay. I wish I could thank someone for their help on this story, but I can't, because I have no Buffy loving friends. They're all obsessed with the Fluffy-Bunny Vamps we know as the Twilight vampires. No, no, wait. Not true. I can thank my friend Piper (27RosalieHale27) because even though she's never seen the show, she still listens to me babble on and on about my ideas. Thanks, Piper! Anyway, enough talk. On with the story!

* * * * * *

The bright morning sun roused Buffy from her sleep. Willow, her roommate, was already up and sitting cross-legged on her own bed, reading some sort of text book.

"Morning!" she said brightly when she noticed the now awake Slayer.

"Mmm. Morning," was the groggy response she got. Buffy sat up, rubbed her eyes, and smoothed back her hair. "How long have you been up?"

"Since seven." Buffy glanced at the clock. It was noon.

"Early bird," she teased.

"Hey, the early bird catches the worm." Willow considered this for a moment, then scrunched up her nose. "Can we make it a blueberry bagel instead?"

"Sure," Buffy said. By this point, she was already rummaging through her closet looking for something to wear. When she found a pair of black pants and her favorite white sweater, she turned to face the witch. "I'm going to get a shower. Be back soon!" She grabbed her bag of toiletries and was off.

Willow sighed and returned to her book. She had a test in a day, after all.

* * * * * *

"Hello? Anyone home?" Cordelia called as she entered the Angel Investigations office.

"Hey, 'Delia," called the familiar Irish voice.

"Oh, hi, Doyle. Have any visions lately?"

"Nope," he said as Cordelia removed her bag and sat it on her desk before sitting down.

"Where's Angel?"

"Downstairs. Been down there all morning."

"What part of 'creature of the night' don't you get? He's probably sleeping." Cordelia rolled her eyes. "Ooh! Mail." She grabbed the stack and began leafing through the dull-colored envelopes. "Bill, bill, bill, oh, here's one for you! No, wait, sorry, that's the electric bill."

Doyle ignored her and continued the previous conversation. "Naw, I've been hearin' him scuffin' around."

"So?" she asked, still not taking her eyes off the letter in hand. "Maybe he's just feeling anti-social."

"Maybe..." he agreed.

Angel couldn't sleep. Every time he closed his eyes he saw images of the beautiful blond he left behind. He had heard she was moving on, dating, going to class, having the normal life he left her for. But it still hurt, being away from her. He tried to tell himself it was for the best, that he couldn't give her the future she deserved. And it worked. For awhile. As long as he was fighting demons, or researching demons, or talking to Cordelia and Doyle he could forget his pain. Then something would happen, like he would come across her picture on his desk or her Claddagh ring that once held so much promise, and he would be back to square one; misery and pain.

Angel knew his friends were here, he could hear Cordelia talking, but he just couldn't bring himself to get up, get dressed, and face the day. He lay back down, ready for sleep to claim him, but it never did. He knew eventually Cordelia or Doyle would be down telling him to move it. He finally gave up on sleep and climbed out of his bed. He quickly dressed and headed for the lift.

"...not that. It's just that you'd think she'd at least call once in awhile," Cordelia was saying, talking about her old friend Harmony, when she and Doyle heard the lift ding.

"Angel, man, you're up," Doyle observed.

"Yeah."

The half demon looked over his friend and employer. His clothes were, as usual, straight and neat and his hair was messed up, but only in the fashionable way. That was all fine. What Doyle didn't like was Angel's eyes. They were tired and sad, as though he hadn't slept in days and someone ran over his puppy.

"Couldn't sleep?"

Angel just shook his head. "Any new demons?" he asked.

"Actually, yes!" Cordelia chimed in. "A lady named Ms. Braxton called, saying a slimy, ugly, greenish-brown thing attacked and kidnapped her son!"

All eyes turned to the former May Queen.

"That wasn't supposed to come out that happy," she said quietly.

"Do we know what it is?" he asked.

"I'm thinkin' from the description that it's a 'Matratza'. Nasty thing. Big, too," Doyle said.

Angel nodded his head. "Matratza. Sounds familiar. You got an address?"

"Uh huh." Cordelia scribbled something on a piece of paper and handed it to the vampire.

"Good," he said. "I'll check it out. See what I can find."

* * * * * *

The abandoned grocery store on San Vicente Boulevard luckily had all it's windows blacked out so no sun could enter. Angel hefted his axe and slipped his free hand into his pocket. His fingers curled around the small chip.

"If you see it, don't waste your time, tag it and go," was what Doyle had told him.

They had all agreed that it would be too big a risk to try and fight the Matratza, so Doyle had given him a tracking device. It was small and painless. The demon wouldn't even know it was there, but through it Cordelia could track where the Matratza went on her computer. It also emitted a sonar wave, allowing them to see how many other demons were with him within a five-mile radius.

The floor squeaked off to his left, and Angel turned. He could see the Matratza off in the distance. It was tall, at least eight feet high, and fat. It's arms hung over to the ground like a gorilla and it's fingers were shaped into talon-like claws. Its feet resembled its hands. Its face was round and completely void of any hair, ears, or horns. Its eyes were extremely large and blood red. Its bottom jaw jutted out and two rows of jagged, razor sharp teeth stuck up. Its skin, if you could call it that, was a green-brown color and was scaled, like snake skin. It also exuded a brown slime, which coated most of the floor.

Behind the Matratza, Angel could see the bloody remains of Ms. Braxton's son, and he was flushed with anger. The boy looked no older than six. He was going to kill this thing, and he was going to kill it now, he decided. But Doyle's words echoed in his ear and Buffy flashed through his mind's eye. If he fought this thing, there would be no guarantee for a future, much less a future with her. Tag it, he told himself, and do no more.

He approached with caution, axe held high in front of him in one hand and tracking chip in the other. The Matratza inched forward, anticipating a battle. As Angel got closer, the demon's head dropped low, and his back half reared higher like a bull waiting for the matador to wave his cloth.

When Angel was at least five feet away, the Matratza charged. It came full speed heading straight for him. Angel managed to jump out of the way without much more than a scratch on his side and a little slime on his shoes. He let himself shift into his game face, his true face, and headed for the Matratza again. This time, he managed to slash its side before it could do any damage to him. The beast let out terrible roar that echoed through the room. It charged once more, only to be slashed against his left arm. The Matratza halted and looked at it's bleeding arm. Angel took this advantage to sneak up on it from behind and stick the chip on it's back. He watched as the small piece of metal and plastic sunk beneath the layers of slime and into the creature's thick hide. The Matratza, despite it's efforts, would never be able to remove it.

By now, it realized that Angel was up to something and turned. After slashing it's stomach once more, Angel dashed for the sewer entrance. The Matratza tailed him for five yards before turning back. He smiled a bitter smile at his victory. Doyle had told him that a Matratza would never leave a den when there was still meat lying around, and the poor boy was definitely meat.

* * * * * *

The party was in full swing by the time Willow and Buffy got there. People crowded the Kappa Sigma house and some even spilled out on the lawn. This party was supposedly the party of the year, and by the looks of the crowd, it definitely was. The two girls spotted Oz and Xander standing off in the corner.

"Hey guys!" Willow shouted over the music when they reached them and took Oz's hand.

"Hi!" Xander called.

"Glad you took the offer to come." Buffy yelled.

"Me, too!"

"Want some punch?" Oz shouted to Willow.

"What?" she called back.

"Want some punch?" he repeated.

"No thanks!"

Buffy gestured to the backyard and the trio nodded. Even when they were outside, they could still hear the music but it wasn't loud, incomprehensible racket anymore, and they no longer had to shout.

"Nice night out," Willow noted. It was a cloudless, and the stars and crescent moon shone brightly down onto the grass. Crickets and cicadas were making their noises and fireflies flitted this way and that.

"It is," Buffy agreed. "Quiet, too. No vamps making big vampy trouble, no demons making--"

"Hi, Buffy," a voice said from behind.

"Riley!" she meant it to sound friendly, but it came out high pitched and screechy. Had he heard what she was talking about? She hoped and prayed the answer was no.

He gave her an odd look, but wrote it off as some girl thing. "Hi. I didn't expect to see you here."

"Oh, you know me, big with the parties."

Buffy looked over the man standing in front of her. He was tall, much taller than her, but then who wasn't? He was cute, she guessed, and still kind of boyish. He was kind and helpful, she knew that from class. And he was sweet. Not as sweet as Angel, but... No! Stop that right now! she mentally scolded herself. Angel left her. He didn't want to be a part of her life anymore, so why should she want to be a part of his?

"Would you like to dance?" he asked.

Buffy looked at Willow, and the redhead nodded. "I, uh, sure."

Riley smiled, took her hand, and lead her inside. The music was just changing from some remake of a Michael Jackson hit to a slow song. My luck, she thought. Riley didn't seem to notice her slight resistance when he pulled her close. It was nice, dancing with him. He was sturdy and strong, but she didn't seem to fit into his arms perfectly. She sighed. There was only one man who's arms she fit into perfectly. When the song ended, she stepped away and thanked him for the dance. Then she went back outside to find her friends.

"How was Riley?" Willow asked.

"Good, I guess. Hey, I'm gonna jet. It's getting late, I'm tired, and I still have to make the rounds. I'll see you tomorrow," she told them before walking off.

* * * * * *

Three vamps and a hot bubble bath later, Buffy was seated alone on her bed trying to study. She wasn't getting very far. The numbers in the book looked like a bunch of squiggly lines to her. She rubbed her fingers through her hair and shut the book. Studying would have to wait. Just as she was about to turn in for the night, the phone rang.

"Hello?" she said.

No answer.

"Hello?" she repeated.

Still no answer.

"Angel?" she asked quietly, and the mystery caller hung up. "Angel," she repeated as she set the phone back on the cradle. "What are you doing?"

* * * * * *

What was he doing? He shouldn't have called her. She knew who it was! But he had to hear her voice, he reminded himself. Then the logical half of his brain through back so what! She was moving on. She didn't need little reminders of her past, muchless ex-boyfriends calling her in the middle of the night. He hoped she didn't think he was stalking her now. That definately wouldn't end well.

Angel paced back in forth around his apartment. Maybe he could just say he dialed the wrong number by accident, if she confronted him. No, because then she'd take it personally like she thought he didn't want to call her. He could hide until she went away, if she came to LA. No, that would be back for two reasons. One, he would be hiding and looking very un-manly, and two, that means he wouldn't get to see her, or talk to her. Or maybe...

His thoughts were interupted by Cordelia bursting into the room.

"Angel!"

"What?" he snapped.

"The Matratza's moving east."

"East towards--?"

"Sunnydale," Cordelia confirmed.

Angel stood there for a moment, as if paralyzed, then burst up the stairs to Cordelia's computer. Sure enough, there was a red blip moving towards Sunnydale, and at least nine more red blips were with it. That meant there were ten Matratzas, all advancing closer to Buffy.

"We have to go," he stated.

"What? Why?"

"There's ten demons there. Maybe more. These things are huge, Cordelia, at least eight feet tall. Even though Buffy's the Slayer, she's still a girl, a tiny one at that. I can't risk her getting hurt. So either you and Doyle are coming or you aren't, but I won't hang around here while she may be fighting for her life."

Cordelia looked at him oddly for a minute, and then said, "How long do I have to pack?"

* * * * * *

The sky was dark by the time Angel reached UC Sunnydale. Cordelia and Doyle had already gone to the hotel, but Angel wanted, needed, to find Buffy. He could feel her and let this guide his path. When he found her, she was sitting on a bench staring up at the sky. She must have felt him, too, because she swung her head around and inspected the shadows.

"Angel?" she called softly. "I know you're here."

He smirked and stepped out of the shade. "Haven't lost your touch," he told her.

"What do you want?" She stood up and crossed her arms. Defencive pose, he noted and felt sad. She never used to be defencive around him.

"There's a bunch of demons moving toward--"

"I don't believe it! I just don't believe it! All this time and you drop by to warn me about impending danger without much of a 'Hi, how've you been'. What? Are we going back to the beginning? Are you going to ask me if I need you to walk me home? I'm a big girl now, Angel. I can handle my demons. You don't have to come down from the wonderful LA just to warn me."

"I'm sorry," he spat. "I just thought you'd like to know. Guess I was wrong. I'll be in town until Sunday. And I won't bother you again." And he disappeared into the darkness.

Buffy sighed, an angry, exasperated sigh. He hadn't changed a bit. The something else occurred to her; Sunday. Angel was going to be in her town until Sunday. That gave her five days to make nice. She'd start tomorrow.

The next evening, everyone was gathered at Giles' place, even Angel, Cordelia, and Doyle. After a round of introductions, they got down to business.

"Angel," said Giles. "What type of, uh, demons are we talking about?"

"Matratzas. About ten of them."

"That's certainly not good."

"I turned a woman's husband into a Matratza once. He cheated on her with a sales woman." All eyes turned toward Anya.

"She used to be a vegeance demon," Willow informed them.

"Okay, so we find them, and we kill them. Slice and dice," Buffy suggested.

"Too big, you wouldn't be able to handle them," Angel told her.

"I'm a Slayer. The Slayer. I think I can handle a Matrati."

"Matratza," he corrected. "And, no, you couldn't. These beasts are eight feet tall with three inch teeth."

"So? I've faced an ascended Mayor, sewer snakes, zombies, werewolves, vampires, demon roommates who try to steal your soul when you sleep. Angel, I've seen it all, and there's nothing the Hellmouth can through at me that I won't be ready for."

"A demon made out of pudding," Oz said.

"Now that I would not be ready for. But I'd deal. We'd deal, and we'd get through it. So don't come down here telling me that I can't handle a demon, because I know darn well I can handle a demon."

"We're not arguing about this."

"Sounds to me like we are."

"It's too dangerous for you to go out there. We need a battle plan, because if we don't, it could kill you!"

"Oh, so now you care. I don't want to hear this." Buffy stood and headed outside. Luckily for Angel, it was dark and he could follow her.

"You have to hear this, Buffy. It's the truth. The cold, hard, unadulterated truth. This thing will kill you, and then it'll kill your friends and your family and the rest of the town."

"What do you care?" She yelled. "You left. Walked away without looking back. You have no right to come back and tell me what to do or how to do it. I can take care of myself, okay? I have friends that look out for me. I have people that care. I don't need you trying to be all noble. You're not in my life anymore, so don't come back and pretend you can just squeeze your way back in. You aren't welcome!" By this point she was shaking from anger and tears were rolling down her cheeks. More than ever, Angel wanted to take her into his arms and kiss her tears away.

"I'm sorry, Buffy," he said quietly. "I-I was just worried about you. I won't come back, if that's what you want. I really am sorry."

"Go," was the only word she could manage between sobs. She felt like she was watching herself from the outside. She couldn't comprehend why she was telling the only man she ever loved, ever would love, to go and not come back. She put one hand up to cover her face and the other around her aching stomach.

"Buffy," Angel whispered. He couldn't leave her, not right now. The only thing he could do was hold her. He held her and let her cry into his expensive silk shirt.

"I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry," she repeated over and over again as she clung to him.

"Shhh. Shhh. It's okay."

"I was such a jerk," she mumbled.

"No, you were just telling me what I was too afraid to tell myself. I'm not a part of your life. I'm sorry for acting like I was."

"No, Angel, no. You are a part of my life. I'm just angry because it hurts," she told him.

"I know. It hurts me, too. But hey, you're doing a lot better than I am. At least you don't brood for hours on end."

She laughed a little and pulled back to look at him. "You brood for hours on end? Why?"

"Because I miss you." He dared to raise a hand to wipe away one of her tears.

"I miss you, too. But it doesn't change anything. You're going back to LA on Sunday." She looked sad when she said this, dejected.

"True, but who says I can't come back over the weekends?"

"R-really?"

"Really."

"Does this mean we're trying the 'just friends' routine again? Because, no offence, it kinda sucked last time."

"You tell me. Are we going to be just friends?"

"I was thinking something a little more...amorous."

"Does this mean...?"

"I think it does."

"But, Buffy, I still can't give you a future, or children, or make lo--" He was silenced by her lips on his.

When she finally pulled away, she said, "Have you learned nothing? I love you for you, and I just want to be with you. I don't care if we can't have picnics in the sun, or children, or make love. It doesn't matter, Angel. I've told you that before. Are you going to listen to me this time?"

Angel nodded and pulled Buffy close. His lips claimed hers in a long, deep passionate kiss. She reached up and tangled her hands in his hair and he put his hands on her hips, pulling her impossibly closer. Neither of them noticed Willow and Cordelia staring out the window, smiling.

"Finally. I never thought those two would realize that they needed to be together," Cordelia said.

"I know." The two women turned away from the window to let the couple have their peace, if only for a night.

"So, Willow. You're a witch. Do you think you could do, maybe, a spell that'll bind Angel's soul?" Willow looked at Cordelia, dumbfounded. She had really grown, thinking of someone else for a change. "What? He's my friend, and boss. I won't have much of a job if he and Buffy get groiny and he goes evil."

"True," Willow agreed, and the two wondered into the kitchen, still discussing binding spells.

To Be Continued...

A/N: Please review! I'd love to hear what you think. CHAPTER TWO IS UP!! WOO!