Disclaimer: I own none of the characters mentioned in this story. They all belong to Joss Whedon, because he is awesome.
Author's Note: I am not quite sure where this story lies in the Angel timeline. I'm hoping it's before Wolfram & Hart transformation, and before baby Connor. If it doesn't, I'm sorry and please don't sue me.
The anticipation hung heavily in the air. I was sitting down on a round sofa in the lobby of the Hyperion hotel, waiting...and waiting. Twenty-four hours never seemed this long until now. And I could tell everyone was on pins and needles.
Cordelia was avidly straightening up the front desk, her eyes narrowed and way too concentrated on the acting of throwing away newspapers. Wesley would ever so often pop out of his office, look around, sigh and slink back. A man named Gunn I'd just met that day would fidget in his seat, unable to find a comfortable position. And the girl named Fred was frantically flipping through pages of several books, seemingly looking for something that didn't exist.
It was suffocating, all the tension and subtle excitement. It was wearing my patience thin. I looked down at my watch, there was an hour to go. One whole hour. I suppressed a wide smile as I stood up. I felt like running (as if that would speed up time) but as soon as my footfalls crossed the lobby, everyone dropped whatever they were doing. Wesley rushed out of his office, Fred dropped her books and Gunn jumped to his feet.
"Easy, you guys," I said, turning around. "It's just me."
"What're you doing?" Cordelia snapped, obviously miffed at being fooled by my feet.
"I'm just going to go upstairs and check on him," I answered, letting Cordelia's tone roll off my back.
"Do you think there's something wrong with him?" Fred piped up, pushing her glasses back on her nose.
"Of course there's something wrong," Gunn cut in. "It's Angel."
"So glad you have so much faith in him, Charles," Wesley said, dripping with sarcasm.
"Hey!" Cordelia called attention. "Calm down, people. If something was wrong, we'd know about it. Especially Buffy."
"Thanks," I said and she nodded in return. I turned back around and headed up the stairs. When I reached Angel's landing, my legs turned to jelly. Every step towards his door made my stomach tighten. I still waiting to wake up and have this all be a dream. I raised my fist to knock on the door and breathed out slowly. Please, don't be just a dream.
"Hey," Angel pulled the door open. He smiled a little and pulled the door open wider. I restrained myself from rushing to him and hugging him hard enough to break a rib. So I just walked past him and he shut the door behind me. The knot in my stomach wasn't easing up and then I thought that being around Angel was only making it worse. When I thought about leaving again, he stopped me.
"Do you want anything?" Angel asked, stepping up behind me. He placed his hands on my shoulders and slid them down my arms, electricity shooting into every corner of my body.
"N-no," I managed out. Angel moved in front of me and I couldn't help but look up at him.
"Is everything okay?" He asked, worriedly. His brows were furrowed and I could swear if he looked at me any harder, he'd be able to see right through me.
"It's fine," I said, struggling with a smile. "It's just that..."
"What?" Angel pried. I swallowed.
"One more hour."
Angel nodded, understanding the gravity of what I was saying. We were at the point of no return. Stuck. He sat down on the edge of his bed and gestured for me to sit with him. When I did, he put an arm around my shoulders.
"Do you think we're making a mistake?" Angel asks me, rubbing the top of my arm.
"No!" I exclaimed, looking at him. "No. It's -- I don't want to lose you. I don't know what you're like as a human, and I -- I don't want to lose you."
Angel tightened his hold on me, bringing me in close. He inhaled and kissed my forehead. I clung to his shirt and leaned my head on his shoulder.
"You won't lose me," he said after a moment. "I'll be different, but I'll still be me."
"I hope so," I replied. He pulled away a little and I looked at him. He moved towards the center of the bed, half-propped up by the pillows. He waved me over, and in a moment, I was molding myself against his body. He put an arm under my head and I wrapped mine around his waist. He was caressing my cheek with his other hand, cold and supernatural. I stared into his deep, brown orbs, feeling the weight of the world in those eyes. So heavy that I closed my own and scooted closer.
"I love you, Angel," I said, losing myself to my thoughts.
"I love you, Buffy," he responded softly, somewhere near my ear.
How did I ever find someone like him? I was a strange, young girl, thrown into two different worlds. I had my misfit friends, enemies, and then mortal enemies. Then he found me. Weird enough that a vampire would consider a Slayer his friend, let alone a lover. The only stable thing in my life at that time was him, someone I connected with, heart and soul. He left me three times, and yet...I could never stop loving him. He was my one, my only.
I was in the space where my thoughts were slowly turning into dreams when I was jerked awake. I looked at Angel, watching his hands clench and unclench. His mouth was clamped shut. Suddenly, he yelled loudly and shot upright.
"Angel!" I sat up, eyes wide and bewildered at what was happening. "Are you all right? Angel?"
He had his eyes shut and didn't move for a moment. I was panicking, everything running through my head at once. Should I call for help? Should I run? I didn't touch him or move at all for a moment that seemed to take forever.
"Angel?" I tried again. Angel opened his eyes, and I noticed that they were slightly different. Still that classic dark brown, but somehow full of new life. He opened his mouth, gasping, then panting as if he'd just run a long way. Then he looked at me, with a smile and eyes of wonder.
"I-" Angel started, reaching out for my hand, which I gave him. "I'm alive, I.."
I laced my fingers with his, feeling heat from his palms. With my other hand, I touched his chest, and his heart was racing. I could feel it. I look at him, tears in my eyes, letting it all sink in. He was really alive, again. My Angel.
"Buffy," Angel said, taking me up into arms and holding me tightly. I buried my face in the space between his neck and shoulder, breathing in his new-found scent. I couldn't help it, the tears just started pouring. I was shaking by the time the others burst into the room.
"Buffy, move!" Cordelia shouted, pushing Gunn out in front of her. "Hurry!"
"Alright, bite-boy," Gunn threatened, wielding a crossbow. "Back it up, gently."
"Careful, Charles," Fred said. "He might --"
"Might what?" Angel said, looking up at them. I pulled away from him, wiping my cheeks and shocked at the ruckus that was going on.
"Might.." Wesley paused. "Angel?"
"Yeah," he answered, nodding. "Who else would it be?"
"We heard yelling," Gunn said, lowering the crossbow. "We thought that maybe --"
"Maybe Wolfram And Hart had tricked you," Wesley finished.
"How could they trick me?" Angel looked at me, smoothing my hair gently. "It was Buffy who sealed the deal."
"We thought that might've discovered a way to," Wesley cleared his throat. "To steal your soul."
"My soul?" Angel sounded like he was about to laugh. "Through a contract?"
"You're sure you're Angel?" Fred questioned. Gunn stood at the ready.
"Yes, I'm sure," he glanced at me before chuckling. "I'm just not the same anymore."
"You mean it worked?" Cordelia asked.
"Yeah, it did," Angel stood and helped me up. I still so amazed, I didn't want to let him go. But I did anyway. Especially when he had to go and explain things to Wesley, Gunn and Fred. Cordelia hung back with me. We walked down the hall, following the others slowly.
"Are you all right?" She asked me. I was still wiping away tears.
"Yeah, I'm fine," I said, sniffling. "I'm just so -- happy, I suppose."
"For now, anyway."
I stopped in my tracks, saying, "What do you mean?"
"I mean," Cordelia started. "that it may not last. This whole human thing. He said that last time, he was only human for a day."
"Yes, but -" She cut me off.
"I'm just telling you Buffy. You're happy now, but how happy will you be if he has to give it up?"
"I don't know," I said, staring down at the floor. Any thought of losing Angel now was bound to be heartbreaking. Could I even do it? "I don't know..."
"I know, Buffy, I'm just saying. It could happen. Just...don't get hurt, ok?"