Special thanks to The Raider, SMGbest, ForeverAlways1114, Angellufy, and BloodyPasion for the reviews and to everyone else who alerted and favorited this. You're all awesome! Just as a heads up I still have quite a bit to work on in the next chapter so it might be a few days until I post again.


Buffy smiled brightly at Giles as she entered his house a few days later, "Hi Giles!"

He smiled warmly even though he looked slightly frazzled, "Hello Buffy, how was school?"

"Not bad. Where's Angel?"

A muffled groan alerted her to his whereabouts. She walked around the edge of the couch and frowned sadly at the sight she was met with. Angel was laid out on the couch shivering and pale with his face buried in a pillow and covered in blankets. She gently ran her fingers through his disheveled hair before glancing at Giles who motioned for her to follow him.

As soon as they entered the kitchen Giles sighed heavily, "I don't know what to do for him, nothings helping. His entire system is shutting down."

Buffy nodded, "He said he'll get better once his wings start to grow back but who knows when that will happen. Why is this happening though?"

Giles poured himself a glass of tea and offered one to Buffy but she politely declined. "Just on earth he's over two hundred years old and in heaven its even longer. I believe that since he's mostly reverted back to his human form from the loss of his wings his body has found it's unable to sustain itself. Picture a clock that's been ignored for centuries trying to run smoothly just because you plugged it in."

"I hope his wings come in soon it's hard to see him so sick."

"Stop talking about me," came a low voice from the living room. "I'm not deaf or stupid and you two talk louder than anyone I've ever met… except that boy you know with the dark hair and stupid face."

Giles looked skyward for a moment before looking at Buffy who was losing a fight with a grin. "He's been like this all day. Everything is stupid apparently. I must say I've never taken care of an angel before but I didn't picture it like this."

"No picnic for me either Rupert."

Buffy smiled at the two of them before turning away from Giles and entering the living room where Angel was trying to get comfortable which was difficult when trying to fit a broad 6' 3" frame on a small couch. She stopped a few feet from him and watched as he tried to unwrap the blanket from himself before finally huffing agitatedly and burning her a look. "You could help you know. Make yourself useful."

She crossed her arms with an arched eyebrow and met his glare steadily. Finally he sighed and looked away, "I'm sorry. I don't do sick very well."

"Understatement," Giles muttered.

"I heard that!"

Buffy let out a laugh and stepped forward to free him from his cottony jail before plopping down next to him. "Feel like going patrolling with me tonight?"

He shrugged, "Better than literally dying of boredom."

Giles appeared in the kitchen doorway, "So sorry I couldn't amuse you today."

Angel just grumbled under his breath as he followed Buffy outside. Once outside she turned and grinned up at him, "You and Giles spending too much time together?" It was hilarious to see him acting so snarky.

He yawned and nodded as he stretched, "Way too much. I'm used to the same few people, it's difficult to be around others."

When he put it like that she could understand why it would be difficult. "You should seriously come out with me one night and hang out with my friends and I."

"Maybe I will. I know I'm upsetting your watcher, he'd probably enjoy time without me."

Buffy frowned when he stopped walking suddenly before noticing a figure appear about fifteen feet away. Angel subtly stepped in front of her as the man just stood there staring at the pair. He felt Buffy's hands clench in the back of his shirt, she had obviously realized that such a sudden appearance meant an angel.

"William."

The man, who was dressed in a long black leather duster and had bleached blonde hair, began to approach with a menacing glare and came to a halt only a few feet away from Angel. The pair stared at each other in a tense silence as Angel tried to decipher if this was friend or foe. His question was answered a moment later when the man dropped to a knee and laid his arm across his chest, head down. When he looked up all hardness was gone and a grin was in place. "Gettin' jumpy in your old age peaches?"

Angel shook his head and allowed a small smile and shoved the man good-naturedly when he stood up. "Spike what the hell are you doing here?"

The blonde haired man shrugged and fished a cigarette out of his pocket and lit it before handing it to Angel and lighting one for himself. "Thought I should see how you're doing."

Buffy finally stepped forward and Spike's eyebrows rose, "Apparently you're doing well."

Angel rolled his eyes as he took a drag, "Spike this is the slayer. Buffy this is my second in command, William."

Spike grinned widely, "Actually first now and it's Spike love. I'm the big man in charge."

"How's it going up there?" Angel asked. It was a loaded question and both he and Spike knew that. On one hand he wanted to hear that everything was fine but on the other he wanted to hear that they needed him, that he wasn't so easily replaced.

The bleach blonde man shrugged, "Total and complete chaos, raining fire and such." He smirked at Angel's arched eyebrow. "You never could take a bloody joke. It's going as well as it can. There's been some that are rebelling since I'm not quite as… hard on them as you are but that's to be expected."

Angel nodded before turning only to stop and cringe when he heard Spike's quick intake of breath. He turned to face him with hard eyes, "Don't, just don't Spike."

Spike approached slowly with a pained expression, "We all heard what happened but to see it... are you alright?"

Angel's eyes began to glow as his hands clenched into fists. "No Spike, I'm really not ok? I'm not all right. I'm here and mortal and it's horrible. I can't fly, I'm cut off, weak and it's just really pathetic and now I'm just bitching." He blew out a breath and ignored Buffy and Spike's small smiles as he threw down the butt of his cigarette. "Anyways, shouldn't you get back? Aren't they going to wonder where you are?"

He nodded and stepped back before becoming extremely serious. He placed a hand on Angel's shoulder and steadily met his eyes. "I'm lost without you, I have no idea what I'm doing."

Angel shook his head, "Yes you do. I taught you everything I know, you can handle it."

"Well I don't want to. I'm made to follow you Angelus. My alliances lie with you and only you. I serve no one but you and I'm only there to keep your seat warm if you choose to have it back. I'll follow you to the pits of hell if I need to."

Angel's eyes widened, "I can't ask that of you."

Spike allowed a small grin, "That's the best part, you don't have to. Now I better get back but before I go do you want me to…" fix your wings?

Angel looked away ashamed before looking back to Spike with a defeated expression, "I'm sure you're cloaking yourself from everyone else and you still need to get back."

Spike shook his head, "I've got enough mojo. Now turn around, don't be shy."

With some hesitation Angel turned and let out a steadying breath. As Spike approached him he shook his head at the damage, "He ripped out the bone and everything didn't he? No wonder they haven't started coming back yet." He stepped forward and raked his eyes over Angel's shredded back one last time, the damage that no one on earth could see clearly visible to him. "I'm sure I don't have to tell you how bad this is going to hurt."

Angel shook his head and braced himself. A moment later Spike's hands were on his back pushing on the large gashes that used to house wings. Against his will Angel screamed and fell to his knees, Spike falling with him and never breaking contact. It was like acid was being poured into his very soul. Everything hurt from the tips of his toes to the tips of his wings that were forming as bones mended and grew, his stitches ripping out as feathers burst through his back. After a few agonizing minutes Spike pulled back with a gasp and Angel fell to the ground on his stomach panting.

Not wanting to interrupt but finding she couldn't help herself Buffy ran forward when Spike stepped back and gingerly touched his arm silently asking if he was ok.

Spike looked down at him and smiled brightly, "That's better. I know it's not great but at least I got you started. Should happen faster now. I'm no poof but even mangled your wings are something to behold."

Buffy helped Angel up and he rolled his shoulders a few times and looked at something Buffy couldn't see behind his back. "Thanks Spike."

Spike smirked, "Now you owe me you bloody ponce." He dropped to his knee again in a show of respect before disappearing with a small whisper of flapping wings.

Buffy frowned, "What did he do to you?"

Angel turned and pulled his shirt up revealing a completely healed back. "He got my wings started again, they'll heal faster now." He shuddered as Buffy's hands gently caressed the now smooth skin.

"Where are they? Your backs healed but there's nothing there," she said, confusion apparent in her tone.

He dropped his shirt back down and turned to face her, "I'm too weak for them to physically manifest which is actually a good thing because it uses a lot of energy to keep them hidden and I can't afford to waste any right now."

Buffy stared at a spot over his right shoulder, "I wish I could see them."

Angel stared at her thoughtfully, "I of course have never had my wings ripped off me but I think since Spike helped they should be back to full form within a couple weeks, maybe sooner. An angel's wings are what connects them to heaven, holds their energy so I should start feeling better too. They might manifest before I'm back at full form but I'll at least be connected again and strong enough to at least speak with Spike." He paused and blushed a little, "But it's good you can't see them right now because they're pretty sad."

Buffy just continued staring before shaking herself mentally, "I should go home, mom's probably wondering where I am. Are you going back to Giles'?"

He shrugged but Buffy could see he didn't look very enthusiastic about it. "Hey why don't you come over to my house for once, change of scenery?" She was met with a dazzling smile and a boyish nod as he slipped his hand around hers and waited for her to lead the way.

Joyce's eyes widened at the sight of a huge man standing next to her daughter in the kitchen.

Seeing her mom's expression Buffy jumped in, "Mom this is Angel, he's Giles' assistant at the library. He's been staying with him so I thought I'd give him a change of scenery."

Joyce smiled, "Of course honey."

When she walked away Angel looked down at Buffy with a cocked eyebrow, "Lying is a sin you know."

Buffy looked at him sharply, which caused him to laugh. "I'm joking, relax. It's not my job to judge, it's Azrael's."

She rolled her eyes, "Ha ha, don't scare me like that."

He grinned and watched as Buffy started making sandwiches. When she finished she placed one in front of him and hopped up on a barstool to start eating. Angel followed suit and Buffy was pleased that he ate the entire thing. "Feeling better?"

He nodded, "Much. In a few days I shouldn't need food anymore. I'll be connected enough to not need sleep either."

"That's so weird. So tell me something about you."

A look of confusion appeared on his handsome face, "Like what?"

She rolled her eyes, "Favorite color, things about what you do in heaven, I don't know."

He looked thoughtful for a few minutes before just shrugging, "There's not much to tell, what you see is what you get. Um…" He scratched his head in thought and Buffy withheld a giggle at the adorable gesture. Suddenly his eyes lit up, "When I've had a particularly bad day I always go to Saturn and watch the rings. It's my favorite planet out of all the universes and galaxies." Seeing her agape mouth and stunned expression he frowned, "Was that not what you meant?"

She shook her head, "That's exactly what I meant but just… Saturn? Really? Is it amazing?"

He smiled and nodded, "Unbelievable in person, beyond what you could ever imagine. I'd take you there but you need oxygen so that wouldn't work very well."

She laughed at his words before crinkling her brow, "You don't need oxygen?"

"I'm not human, well at least I'm not supposed to be. I don't need oxygen, food, sleep, anything really."

She nodded and was about to respond when her mom entered the room again, "Buffy it's time for bed say good night to your guest."

Buffy nodded and looked at Angel who looked less than pleased about leaving. She walked him to the door and bit her lip. "Sorry you have to go I wish you didn't."

He smirked at her and whispered, "I don't," before disappearing. Her eyebrows shot up as she looked around for him but he was nowhere to be seen. Feeling hurt by his sudden departure she closed and locked the door before going upstairs to her room. When she entered Angel smiled at her from his spot on her bed.

"What.. how?"

He grinned, "I have my wings back, I can fly again. Not far right now but far enough to get to your room."

She smiled, "Let me change into my pjs." He nodded and turned respectfully while she changed before turning back around when she said she was finished. "So how did you fly in here? You were there and then poof you weren't."

"Because everything happens so fast in flight it appears much like teleportation to the human eye. With my wings I can also become incorporeal so I can go pretty much anywhere."

She digested the factoids as she brushed her hair until finally setting down her brush and crossing her arms. "So what now?"

He looked around her room, "Whatever you'd like. Your room is very pink."

She laughed, "Yes it is and I have no idea. I wanted to hang out more but I'm actually pretty tired."

His face fell and his shoulders slumped. "Oh, ok. I'll just head back to Giles'," He mumbled.

Buffy felt horrible, he looked like a kicked puppy. "You could stay if you want." As soon as the words left her mouth she blushed furiously.

His face brightened, "Are you sure?"

She nodded and turned to look at the bed, "You can take the bed, I'll sleep on the floor."

He immediately shook his head, "I'll take the floor, I don't mind."

They continued to argue until Buffy sighed, "We'll just share the bed ok?"

He shrugged before slipping off his shoes, belt and jacket leaving him in just pants and a short sleeve white undershirt. The pair climbed into the bed but found they would have to touch so Buffy pushed aside her feelings of awkwardness and tucked herself into the crook of his arm. The pair laid in silence for a while until Buffy spoke up.

"Angel?"

"Hmm?"

"Do angels… you know…"

He frowned, "I'm an angel Buffy, not a mind reader. At least not right now. I need more than that."

She shifted and hesitantly laid a hand across his flat stomach, "Do angels have… sex?"

To her surprise Angel laughed softly, "And why do you ask?"

She was glad it was dark because she was blushing furiously. "Well it's just you're not how I picture an angel and I know you're different anyway but you also smoke and cuss and Spike did too and you just don't seem…"

"Devine," he finished.

She nodded and waited for him to answer. "To answer your question no, angel's don't have sex. We're capable of course but most choose to not partake in sins of the flesh."

Her heart was beating so fast she was sure it was going to burst. "Most?"

"There's a few who do but it's almost always with humans and not as enjoyable as it should be."

"Why not?"

He laughed again, "When you're focusing on hiding your wings the entire time to not scare the bejeezus out of someone you can't really lose yourself in the act."

She nodded against him before answering the question she had been wanting to. "So are you one of the angels who um… has sex?"

His hand came out of nowhere as his fingers slid into her hair, "Why so many questions slayer?"

"Just wondering."

He raised an eyebrow but didn't push it. "I come down here when I can and look for comfort, look for a short reprieve from the constant war. Spike does too. I already have so many sins what do a few more matter?"

She nodded and was about to speak again but was stopped by a pair of soft lips. She froze with wide eyes before responding and let out a small noise of disappointment when he pulled back a second later before it could go further. Angel smiled at her put out expression and lightly kissed her forehead, "Go to sleep slayer, that's enough questions for now."