Coming Home 9/12 (Angelic Face #7)

by Philip S.

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: Buffy and associated characters belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy. No infringement intended. The storyline and original characters are copyright Philip S.

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Chapter 9:

Angela closed the apartment door behind herself and Buffy, or tried to, rather. It had not been completely smashed by her and Ashley going right through it, but it was cracked and bent, refusing to fall shut. Looking around Angela saw that her living room did not look much better. It kind of reminded her the last time a Slayer had come here to kill someone, only then that Slayer had been Kendra and Buffy had been her prey.

What was it with Slayers and demolishing her apartment?

Buffy followed her gaze and, seeing the mess, immediately started picking things up from the floor. Angela was about to tell her that she did not need to do this, but at that moment her tiredness was finally catching up with her. During the last 48 hours (for her) she had been tortured within an inch of her life, reunited with a demon, jumped into a portal to Hell, had received earth shattering revelations regarding her own nature, and battled a Slayer. It was a small miracle she was still standing.

Buffy looked up when she saw Angela leaning against the wall, seeing how very tired her friend was.

"You really should get into bed," she told her. "I'll clean up tomorrow."

"Buffy, you don't have to ..."

"Hey, I've been living here free of rent for the last month. It's the least I can do."

Angela was too tired to argue, allowing herself to be led towards the bed. Seeing it, though, inevitably led her thoughts to the question of sleeping arrangements.

"I ... I should take the couch."

"What couch?" Buffy pointed at the piece of furniture in question. Angela did not quite remember it being broken in half by their battle. "Why would you want to take the couch anyway? The bed is certainly big enough for ..."

"Buffy, I ..."

God, she was tired. Too tired to have such a talk right now.

Buffy gave her a confused look. "I thought we ... I just assumed ..." She looked down.

"It's ... Buffy, I love you, but ..."

"Angela," Buffy stepped closer to her, "I know I was very confused during those months when you ... after I found out how you felt about me and who you really are. I'm sorry it took me so long, but I'm seeing clearly now. I don't want to be apart from you. I love you, too."

Angela almost laughed at that. It was not funny, no, just the way her life seemed to be going. This was something she had dreamed of ever since she had first seen Buffy on the steps of Hemery High in Los Angeles. This girl, who knew about Angelus, who knew that she had been a man, still loved her.

Only now everything had changed. Angela did not know who or what she was now, what she was supposed to be. She had a man's memories, a man's longings, but she had never lived in anything but a woman's flesh and that was not likely to change anytime soon. She was a soul born into a transformed demon body, burdened with the memories of two people who were not her.

Why did Buffy have to be all open and clear with her feelings just now? Why now of all possible times?

"I'm sorry, Buffy, but ... everything is still so strange. Being a vampire again, the place I've been, everything ... I ... I just need some time. I'm sorry."

Buffy looked up at her with confusion and hurt in her eyes, but finally nodded.

"I understand. I ... you should take the bed. I'll see what I can make of the couch."

"Buffy ..."

"No arguing! You can barely stand. That little fight with Ashley pretty much knocked the stuffing out of you, didn't it? I've done nothing but rest for this past month, so you get the bed. End of discussion."

Angela almost smiled. This was more the like the Buffy she knew. Bowing to the inevitable she allowed herself to be led towards the bed, feeling every bit of her 250 years. Or was that but a hundred now? She was too tired to think anymore.

Her body had barely hit the mattress when she was already fast asleep.

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Buffy looked down at the sleeping vampire woman and tried to figure out what had just happened here. Yes, sure, Angela had been through a lot, but how did that explain her sudden reluctance? During the months she had been human Angela had been very open about her affection for Buffy, even though she never pushed her in any way.

Was it because she was now bonded to a demon once more? Was she afraid that Angelus would get loose again and hurt her in some way? Or was it something else?

Buffy sat down on the edge of the bed, her eyes still fixed on Angela. She had finally figured it out, had she not? She loved Angela, wanted to be with her. There was some confusion about the whole 'man in a woman's body' thing, but they could get past that, she was sure.

So what was the problem?

Sighing, she realized that she might just be making too much out of this. Maybe Angela really was tired and just wanted to sleep, nothing else. Yes, that was probably it. Nothing to it. They would talk things over once Angela had gotten a good night's sleep and then everything would be all right.

And it would be! Buffy intended to make certain of that in whatever way necessary.

Rising, she walked over to the living room couch and looked at the mess. Angela and Ashley had tumbled over it in a clinch and quite thoroughly broken it in two while doing so. No way was she going to sleep on that without waking up with a major back pain tomorrow.

She turned and cast a guilty glance at Angela sleeping on the bed. The vampire had fallen onto one side of the bed, which was quite broad. Tired as she was Buffy doubted Angela would move much, which left more than half the bed empty and unused.

Telling herself that there was absolutely no sense in wasting a perfectly good half of a bed Buffy grabbed one of the couch cushions and carefully lied down beside Angela. Odds were she would wake first, seeing as Angela was in the habit of sleeping most of the day away under the best of circumstances.

Buffy closed her eyes, yawning, allowing sleep to overtake her. Things would be all right come morning.

TO BE CONTINUED