Author's Notes: I just recently celebrated a birthday, and an idea to write a story where Buffy finally gets a present she so richly deserves inspired me to jot this story down. Takes place five years after the events of Chosen and Not Fade Away, but is AU mostly. Enjoy!
Las Vegas
9:33 P.M.
Amongst the countless groups of various Scoobies and Slayers dancing seductively to the haunting tune that was playing in the speakers, the head Slayer stood alone in the corner of the club establishment, fumbling at her nails, despite the fact that tonight she was celebrating her twenty-eight birthday amongst friends, comrades, and the rest of the Slayer army peacefully for the first time throughout her life as the Chosen One.
For the last ten years, birthday celebrations in honor of her had had the tendency to fold unsuccessfully; most ironically since the day he had left her behind for the City of Angels. Buffy had felt as if her birthday was eternally cursed to be ruined by either demons or some unknown force that beckoned for her to continue to be unhappy, despite the many sacrifices she had made to protect the world.
She wiped a tear in silence, eying both Xander and Dawn dancing happily together under the glowing pair of strobe lights. She felt a tiny sting of jealousy; not directly towards the pair themselves, but for the fact that she didn't have anyone to dance with, or to lean her head against their shoulder in a gentle motion. Everyone she loved was paired up, except for herself. A long sigh of repressed melancholy emanated from her.
She stood up, shoving the plush cushion pillows aside to trudge belligerently towards a three-tier cake that was made specifically for her, its purple and pink butter cream frosting splashed and stained with the drying wax of lit candles that illuminated the darkened dance floor. The song shifted into a slow, mid-tempo tune, one that was so familiar to the Slayer's ears, but she had difficulty in placing its' familiarity or to place where she had once heard the lyrics from. Then it struck her.
It was the very same song that had once appeared in the dream of which Drusilla had staked Angel in front of her. Her eyes widened, her mouth agape, but before she could respond, she spotted Dawn approaching her from the corner of her eye.
"Buffy, Buffy, c'mon and dance with us. It's your birthday, you shouldn't be sitting in the corner being all pouty. You should be partying. No more slaying and all." Dawn ran up to her older sister, tugging on her flowing sleeves, impatient in persuading her to join the rest of the Scooby Gang on the dance floor. Buffy was about to nod her head in order to decline, then reluctantly accepted, allowing her sister to take her hand.
"Dawnie, I have no one to dance with. Get out there and go finish dancing with Xander over by the bar. He's all by his lonesome self again."
Dawn shook her head, defying her. "I won't, unless you do. You can't be spending the rest of the night just sitting there and brood. You need to celebrate. All of us are having fun and you're the only one who's not. You deserved to have something normal for once, something to make up for all those ruined birthdays you've had." Still, Buffy put on her resolved face, crossing her arms, glancing at her leather spiked boots.
"I don't think I want do Dawnie. How can I? It's been almost six years, and I still don't even know what happened to Angel. I still worry. All these years, and we haven't heard anything. How can I go dancing when I can't get him out of my mind? What if he's not with us anymore?"
The question was almost enough to cause the indestructible Slayer to break down, but she attempted to keep her composure and stay strong. Dawn nodded sadly, then left the Slayer to her own devices. Then, Buffy felt something light hit against her cheek, falling onto the polished floor with a soft clank.
"What the…?" She muted, bending forward to retrieve an item that glistened of silver under a purple flashing strobe light. The claddagh ring. "I thought I'd lost this," she muttered to herself, her hand clamping against her mouth. Before she could investigate further, she felt the tingle developing in the pit of her stomach, one that she would recognize anywhere, no matter the distance.
He was here. She scanned the darkened club, searching for him, but didn't spot anything out of the ordinary. Disappointment settled in, her lips forming into a pout of indignant sadness. "Imagination going crazy. Not the first time," she told herself. "What a birthday this turned out. Happy Birthday Buffy. You got your wish."
She trotted back towards the leather couch in a grumpy fashion when the tingling sensation went off once more. It was forming into something that she couldn't ignore. She felt a shiver course through her body, her heart thumping wildly.
"Buffy, are you okay? You look like you seen a ghost," Willow pointed out, worry frowning her features. "Will, I think he's here. I could feel him." "Who? Angel? Buffy, that's not possible. He's not here. It's just us."
Buffy shook her head. "I can feel him Will. I know it. He's alive." Buffy took off without waiting for Willow's response, shoving dancers, Slayers, and lovers aside, eyes searching the building. Each time the sensation only became stronger, difficult to ignore entirely.
She reached near the entrance door, then stopped immediately. Willow was right. Angel wasn't anywhere inside the club. It was not a possibility. Buffy heaved a sigh of frustration, eyes threatening to spill tears in the midst of the crowd.
She quickly wiped them away before they could fall, but it didn't stop her body from shuttering into convulsions. "Angel. Just when I thought I felt you again...." she whispered in a volume that no one but herself could hear.
"It's time to close the chapter. The last one in this world……"
The lyrics caught her attention, her hands folding and clutching at her chest that still bore the ring. Shoulders slumping, she made an attempt to steer directly towards the bar, in need of a drink to drown out her sorrows for the remainder of the night. Until someone had the confidence to gently tap her shoulder, causing her to spun quickly around, only to see that no one was there.
Irritation surged within her, until she felt her shoulder tapped once more. She huffed. "Don't make me hurt you," she barred her teeth, plucking a stake from underneath her light sleeve before turning to see Angel standing, lower and upper body dressed in a trench coat, red silk button down shirt, and leather pants that hugged in all the right places.
It was as if someone had stolen every intake of breath that she produced, and replaced it with pain, shock, and emptiness. Her quick intake of air and sharp reaction had made everyone turn to focus on her, but she didn't spare them a glance. Her eyes only focusing on his, brilliant chocolate orbs blazing underneath the ceiling lights, chestnut hair designed into delicate spikes.
He looked as beautiful as ever, and the sight of him, alive and healthy, was enough to break down the emotional barriers that she had internally created upon herself. She lost her tightened grip, dropping the stake without a care, but still holding on to the claddagh ring, forming a fist. More tears begin to spill from her eyes. She took a step back, absorbing and drinking in the sight of him, desire and relief filling her.
Whether she was ready to be baked cookies, she immediately knew the answer.
"Angel," her voice was filled with a strong emotion that mirrored her expression. Her cheeks became red blotches, her eyes pooling to the masses of wet tears that were leaving trails trickling down. "Buffy," Angel answered in earnest.
In seconds, the two reunited lovers embraced one another, cradling and hugging each other as if it were their final moment together. "I thought you died. I was so worried about you. I was scared that you didn't make it," the Slayer cried onto his chest, tightening her hold on him with every last ounce of strength she had. She felt a trail of kisses on her head, enough to take her breath and speech away.
"Buffy, I'm sorry. I knew I couldn't tell you. Not until everyone left alive was safe. Not until we knew the Circle was gone for good." Angel placed another set of kisses, this time near her lips and nose. Buffy didn't deny him permission. She hadn't noticed that he felt warm underneath her body. She didn't seem to care at the moment.
"I'm so glad to see you here, and that you're okay. But why are you here?" She peered up at him. He turned to glance at Willow. "Happy birthday Buffy. We knew you'd love our present," She muted, her grin turning into a deepening smile. Buffy tried to contain her happiness in a futile attempt. It didn't work. "Thanks Will, for doing this. You're the best." She formed a smile, then quickly hugged her best friend before returning to Angel's side. A frown came across her face as she pressed her hand against his chest. She felt a distinct heartbeat underneath his silk shirt. Her eyes widened in awe, her jaw dropping to the floor.
"Angel? Is this what I think it is?" Hope filled her. "Well, let's just say the Powers finally decided to reward me. I got my Shanshu. I'm human, Buffy. I can finally walk into the daylight with you." And with that she pressed her lips passionately against his, tongues intertwining and lapping against each other, circling his waist, then his neck in return, imagining the future that was finally being rewarded to them after everything.
A house, kids, a dog, many of the things that Buffy had silently hoped for it to come true someday. She prayed that the tears would stop spilling. They didn't. She continued on kissing Angel with all the strength and the resurfacing love that she, deep down, still carried for him.
"So, all these kisses….I take it that you're ready to be cookies?" Angel smirked, linking his hand through hers. Buffy looked down upon her fist, then opened it, revealing her lost claddagh ring. "As soon as you came back from hell, I've lost my ring. I hadn't told anyone this, but after when you came back, I went back to the mansion and looked for it by the fireplace. It wasn't there anymore. But tonight, it came back to me. Maybe it was a sign, I dunno. And then you came back to me. I take it that we're finally ready to be together after all the crap and fighting we've been through. To answer your question, yes, I am definitely cookies. I will always be cookies to you. Nothing else matters. I love you Angel."
She tiptoed to place a soft, lingering kiss on his lips, her hand caressing his face in a gentle manner, taking him in. "I love you too Buffy. Forever. That's the whole point," Angel whispered, pressing his nose against hers, then took her hand, placing the claddagh ring on her third left finger. He kissed it. "May I have this dance?" He offered. Buffy simply nodded. "You may."
He lead her onto the center of the dance floor, all eyes watching on their every move as they slowly begin to waltz, her head gently placed against his broad shoulder, her eyes closing to the tune of the song. He placed his cheek against hers, breathing in her familiar vanilla scent, her essence. It soothed him. The dream song ironically returned, as if it was meant for only the two of them.
It came to an abrupt end, but not before leaving the Slayer in a moment of surprise. She witnessed Angel bending down to one knee, placing his hand in a pocket to reveal a velvet box, opening it in time to reveal a three carat ruby diamond that stunned her. Before he could even ask, Buffy's response was:
"I do."
Now that I've found this love….I'd do anything for you…