Chapter 9
Friday January 19th, 2007
London, England
Little Venice
Anne Summers' Residence
10:32 p.m.
"Happy Birthday?" Buffy repeated as she stared at him. "What the fuck? You sit there and tell me 'happy birthday'? How about how long you've been standing there, how the hell you even found me…those are a bit more important, aren't they?" Shaking her head she turned and crossed over to the sink, slipping on her other 'bracelets' before picking up the egg one.
"Since you went in and it wasn't easy," he spoke softly, causing her to drop the bracelet, wincing when it bounced off the counter to land on the floor.
Turning to look at him a moment she saw the perplexed look on his face, ignoring it for now. "You've been standing there since I went into the shower?" she asked slowly. "Okay that's…that's just a seriousinvasion of privacy. How the hell did you even get past Ange in the first place…" she continued as she bent down to pick the bracelet up, wrapping it around her wrist once more as she went to adjust the clasp, only to have it fall off her hand when he grabbed her arm. "You mind?"
"What is that?" Angel demanded angrily. "You started to put it on and the aura that identifies you as the Slayer disappeared…"
"That's cause it's suppose to," she snapped as she pulled her arm from him and bent down to get it before walking away as she put it on. "I'm not the same girl you knew, don't presume to know me or my life Angel," she added evenly before making her way towards the kitchen. She suddenly could use a good drink…to keep her from jumping him as much as to keep her from breaking down. He wasn't supposed to walk back into her life, no matter how much she missed him and dreamed of it happening.
"Buffy…" he trailed after her only to be stopped by the rather large animal that blocked his path. "Uhh…this Ange?" he asked looking at the dog who was nearly three feet tall on all four legs, probably closer to five on it's hind legs…the dog had a very wild look to it at the same time.
"Yes," she agreed with a sigh as she hunted in the cupboard for the alcohol before grabbing the scotch and a tumbler. "Ange, let him pass," she called, sensing the anger in her familiar over Angel getting passed him. "He's a vampire, Ange, he's got the whole appearing, disappearing thing down to an art, don't be angry," she added as she turned to look at them before taking a sip of her drink. Ange looked over at her before looking at Angel and growling, and then padded his way over to the end of the couch that was his.
"Did you just have a conversation with him?" Angel asked after a moment.
"It's a gift," she shrugged.
"The magic," he nodded and she raised an eyebrow in his direction. "Faith," he explained. "She's learned to control hers to an extent but still focuses on the fighting aspects."
"Of course," she agreed with a nod. "Yeah, the magic, this thing has a spell on each egg," she held up her wrist, "So I don't have to use my own limited magic to keep the spells up. One allows me to communicate with my insane familiar over there, who I love," she added when they both heard the whine.
"I see," he nodded slowly.
"You didn't answer how you found me," she reminded him after a moment.
"Oh, Willow was doing a locator spell on potentials, and to our surprise she saw you in London. Then you disappeared while I was making my way here…"
"Fly this time?" she asked with a small smirk.
"Yeah, Wesley learned how to fly so we got our own plane," he shrugged.
"Wesley's in town?" she groaned.
"He's actually gone up to Dublin, there's a potential there."
"Why are you looking for potentials?" she asked with a frown, "Wait, no, back up. Continue explaining how you found me."
"Willow tried locating you again, it didn't work but then two nights ago you showed up long enough to give us the location of Little Venice…I've been kinda lurking ever since to see any sign of you. Didn't recognize you for a moment with the hair…"
Buffy smiled as she reached up to brush a wet lock behind her ear, before frowning as she thought. "Oh crap," she hissed when it fell into place. "I've been taking my bracelet off when I shower and I figured what the hell with doing my own spell while in the shower for the last month. Go figure, I reach the point I think it's been over six years they wouldn't still be using spells to find me, and that's what ends up happening," she grumbled as she walked over to collapse on the couch.
"I'm kinda glad it worked out that way though," he shrugged as he crossed over to sit down next to her, before looking over in concern at the growl.
"Angel enough," Buffy snapped.
"What?" he asked looking at her shocked.
"The dog, not you," she sighed. "His name is Angel; he's my protector…" she shrugged slightly before glancing up at him with a sheepish look. "Call him Ange for short."
"Okay," he smiled before looking over at, in a way, his namesake. "Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt her, again," he added with a momentary frown. The dog looked at him before jumping down and heading towards the glass door that opened to the enclosed garden patio, Buffy waved her hand and it opened before she waved her hand the opposite way and the door closed behind him. "Magic?" Angel asked looking at her.
"Magic," she shrugged. "Too much hassle for me to carry a wand, turns out there was this special wand for Slayers before the Council went rogue so I'm the first one to have one in a few centuries," she held up her wrist that still held the wand. Like her egg bracelet the 'wand' was removable, and usually removed, when she took a shower.
"So, when did you go...uh...purple?" he asked after a few minutes of silence.
"Couple years ago, I let my 'nieces' pick the color. Figured if I didn't like it, it was easily gone. I actually like what I ended up with," she shrugged. "So…potentials?"
"The First has gotten loose; we're rounding up potentials to fight her, well before she kills them."
"The First is a she?" Buffy repeated surprised.
"The First likes to take your form when haunting all of us so to speak. She can only take the form of someone who's dead…"
"And I'm the resident chick who's died twice," Buffy chuckled humorlessly. "So, Wesley can fly, you guys are rounding up potentials, I'm assuming Sunnydale's got the whole end of the world feeling going on again… Anything else I've missed?"
"Dawn finished high school; she's going to college now. Anya and Xander got married a few years ago…almost didn't but Spike and I knocked some sense into him when he started panicking, some guy Anya cursed wanted revenge and messed with his head. Spike got a soul…"
"Spike got a soul?" Buffy repeated looking at him shocked. "Spike, some weird way your grandchild, evil bastard who's actually got a conscious, he got a soul?"
"Yeah," Angel nodded.
"Uh…how?"
"Left for a while, took some big test, got it…I don't ask details, it's strange enough not being the only vampire with a soul or that my insane grandchilde has a soul… He's still watching over Dawn though, taught her to fight against everyone's wishes. He and Faith have this thing occasionally, mostly after there's some big battle."
"Hungry and horny," Buffy chuckled. "Faith put it once, after we kill, we get hungry and horny. At least with Spike it's not the whole relationship involvement going on…" she shrugged again before rising to go refill her drink. "How's Willow and Tara? Giles?"
"Willow's good, she uh…she wasn't so good for a while…" he trailed off for a moment before sighing. "Tara died, a few years ago."
"Oh no," Buffy whispered turning to look at him in shock. "Oh God, poor Will…"
"Yeah, she took it pretty bad, we all did but she took it worse obviously," he agreed sadly. "Oz came back about six months later, he helped her more than any of us could, and they got back together about a year ago."
"It's good that she's happy," Buffy smiled a bit happier about the news, not much at the loss of a friend but some. "Is Giles okay?"
Angel rose and crossed over when he heard the fear in her voice. "He's fine," he answered quickly. "He's been watching over Faith and the others, but he misses you. No one's forgotten, but of the group, he and I are the ones who have the time to keep the search up, you know?"
"Yeah, I understand," she agreed softly. "So, what about Cordy? And your gang?"
"Cordy is…well, Cordy. You never met her but we have a girl named Fred with us now, she and Gunn have been together for a few years. Wesley is his usual self, same with Lorne, though you never met him either…" Angel trailed off.
"And you?" she asked leaning back against the counter.
"I'm me," he shrugged. "I fight the fight, save lost souls, all that."
"You've got someone though," she pointed out softly looking at his hand.
Glancing down at the Claddagh ring he shook his head. "It's been that way for eight years." She frowned, mentally thinking back those years before looking up at him surprised. "You though?" he asked looking at her own hand.
"It hasn't left my hand since I woke up," she answered softly before looking up at him. "There's this guy though, he's got a thing for me, and we all know it. But I don't…I gave my heart away nine years ago…" she trailed off, shrugging one shoulder.
Angel watched her a moment before stepping forward and capturing her lips with his own.
Rolling over Buffy smiled to herself as she woke up; tonight was a good dream… Opening her eyes she glanced down, surprised to not see Ange where he usually was during the night, then her brain registered the weight across her hip. Looking down she saw the familiar hand, familiar ring and began to realize…maybe it wasn't a dream…
/-/Oh shit!/-/ Looking closer she breathed a sigh of relief when she saw she was still clothed, before shifting and stopping mid breath at the familiar pain. "Oh shit," she whispered before turning her head to look at the man behind her. "Angel?" she called softly, "Angel?"
"Hmm," he sorta hummed, grunted, after a moment; not opening his eyes.
"Wake up…"
"Go to sleep, Buffy."
"Angel wake up, please, I need…" she trailed off. How did she explain she needed to know he wasn't going to go all demon-y on her again?
"You can't possibly," he sighed, her mind flashing back to when he said those same words during a day that was suppose to be forgotten, before he opened one eye to look at her. "Hey…you okay?" he continued concerned.
"We did… right?"
"Make love?" he supplied and she grinned at the wording before frowning as her original thoughts came back.
"No 'grr'?" she asked as she caught her lip between her teeth.
"Oh! No," he smiled self-consciously. "Permanent hold, no more disappearing without, as Willow put it, 'big magic and big evil bad things with big bad plans'."
"So, no more…"
"No more," he promised. "Now go back to sleep," he ordered with a smile as he closed his eyes.
"Mmmm, okay," she smiled happily, rolling back over to curl up as she dozed back off.
Saturday January 20th, 2007
London, England
Little Venice
Anne Summers' Residence
8:29 a.m.
Rolling over, Angel covered his eyes with his arm, flinging the other out. It took a second for his brain to catch up in its sleep induced state. One, Buffy was gone; and two…there was sun in his eyes. And he wasn't lighting up like kindling.
Moving his arm he looked up to where sunlight was coming through the window, before looking towards the doorway, where he could hear singing down the hall. Grabbing his pants he made his way out to find her dancing around the kitchen as she sang along with the radio, something country sounding…
"I would have loved you anyway
I'd do it all the same
Not a second I would change
Not a touch that I would trade
Had I known my heart would break
I'd a loved you anyway
It's bittersweet to look back now
At memories withered on the vine
Just to hold you close to me
For a moment in time
I would have loved you anyway
I'd do it all the same
Not a second I would change
Not a touch that I would trade
Had I known my heart would break
I would have loved you anyway"
She glanced over at him and smiled when she saw him, continuing to sing as she turned back to making breakfast.
"And even if I'd seen it coming
You'd still have seen me running
Straight into your arms
I would have loved you anyway
I'd do it all the same
Not a second I would change
Not a touch that I would trade
Had I known my heart would break
I would have loved you anyway
"I would have loved you anyway," she spoke in time with the last notes, walking over to hand him a glass.
"Three questions," he mused as he took the glass. "Do you keep blood on hand just because?"
"Nope, but magic is a wonderful thing," she winked before turning and heading back to pick up her bagel and cereal.
"Okay," he nodded, leaving it at that. "Is the song a sign? And do you know why I'm not currently a pillar of fire?"
"Because I have spells on the windows to let the light in but not the u-v aspect that would reduce you to a pillar of kindling, and no…it's just…" she started then sighed. "These last six and a half years whenever I heard that song it reminded me of you and I, because had I known before how things would have ended up I would still have loved you. It came on and today instead of changing the station, I listened. It's true though, even through all we've been through, all the times we've hurt each other, I would have loved you, and still do," she shrugged again.
"I like it," Angel smiled as he took a seat across from her. "And thanks for the no kindling," he nodded towards the windows.
"No biggie," she grinned. "Well, that and it was my backup if you still went all Angelus on me…I could drop the spells if necessary, even if it would kill me in the end to do so."
Angel slowly lowered his eyebrows from his hairline, "Okay…" he agreed slowly. "That's a very interesting thought…"
"It's a gift," she smirked before picking up her bagel. "Well, that and Ange would have probably torn your throat out if you went all evil and tried to hurt me."
Glancing over at the dog in question Angel saw it watching him while it ate its own breakfast; that looked suspiciously like a steak. "He's not a normal dog, is he?"
"Nope, half malamute, half gray wolf," Buffy answered as she read the paper, before taking a bite of her cereal.
"Wolf?"
"Mm hmm," she grunted before turning a few pages to finish the article. "Gift from Gin and Lucius. He was in the forest outside Hogwarts and came across the malamute; she'd been killed by something. Only surviving pup was Ange, he brought it home not realizing at the time that it was half-wolf, Gin took one look at it and said it was meant for me. Was the vet who diagnosed the wolf blood, that and a spell to locate the father to prove he wasn't more than just a regular wolf."
"Complicated," he spoke after a moment.
"A bit," she agreed before looking up at him. "Paper?"
"No thanks," he smiled before rising to look around her place.
"Duck," she called as she folded the paper up.
"What?" he asked as he turned towards her.
"Duck, now." She answered not looking at him. He just automatically did as she said and felt a whoosh of air above his head, when he looked up he saw a small owl standing on the table as Buffy untied something from its leg, then it dropped an envelope from its beak.
"Owl?" he crossed over to stand by her as the owl flew over to the top of a bookcase.
"Wizard mail," she nodded unrolling the parchment she had untied from its leg. "Her name's Azure, Mercy named her with help from Betsy when Mione and Luna gave her to me," she explained as she laid the Daily Prophet flat. "Hmm, Harry's team is playing the Cannons today…things are going to be crazy at Mione's…"
"Very lost," Angel chuckled before turning to go back on his exploration; he figured she'd explain when she was ready.
"Wizarding World has a sport that is basically their version of football, basketball, whatever. In the sense that it's highly competitive, insane spectators, etcetera," Buffy smiled. "Called Quidditch, players fly on brooms, score points by tossing a ball into hoops that are guarded by a player. There are also these two balls that fly around and certain players hit them to keep them from hitting their players but they like to hit them at the other team. It's a pretty bloody game sometimes… The game is won when the Seeker, there's only one per team, anyway there's this tee nee tiny little gold ball with wings called the golden snitch, the seeker who catches it wins a bunch of points for their team and it means the game is over. Normally the team that gets the snitch wins due to the amount of points but it's happened the other way enough times. Anyway," she continued with a sigh, "Harry plays professional Quidditch; he's a seeker, best there ever was at the Wizarding School he and everyone went to. Ron is his best friend, Ron's obsessed with the game and his favorite team is the Chuddly Cannons. Harry's team is playing the Cannons today, and Mione, Ron's wife, is going to have her hands full dealing with him if Harry's team wins."
"So, basically Ron's favorite team is competing against his best friend's team and his wife is stuck in the middle…"
"Pretty much," she agreed with a smile, turning in her chair to watch him as she opened the envelope Azure had brought.
Angel focused on the two bookcases that stood side by side, the middle shelves were covered with picture frames and figurines… The moving pictures were a bit confusing… On one of the shelves he found pictures of Buffy and two other women, a red-head and a blonde woman, pictures of them at various places, laughing, dressed up standing in front of a sign for The Lord of the Rings the musical, with shopping bags in hand in another picture…all around were figurines that depicted two girls. In a couple of the pictures there was a guy with the three as well… If he was right the figurines looked like the same design as that Precious Moments set Cordelia had gotten for Connor, though Connor's was a birthday train…he had seen her catalog of the other figurines.
The shelf above had pictures of the four along with others at one of the Disney parks…Disney World he realized when he saw the sign for Animal Kingdom…he wasn't as pop-culture unaware as he once was… This one held more Precious Moments figurines but each had a Disney theme. A third shelf held pictures of two girls. One girl had long blonde hair and was skating around in one picture, with a few figurines of skaters… Another picture had the blonde girl on a gymnastics beam with a small figurine of a gymnast, and a third was of her in a Gi with a white belt, next to it a figurine of a little girl with a black belt. The other girl looked a bit younger, with short curly brunette hair, three pictures of her dancing: ballet, tap, and just dancing around in the living room; with figurines of ballerinas…
Also on the shelf there were pictures of the girls, obviously professionally done, two different ages. Lined up in front of the frames were figurines, a blonde angel with a scroll that said 'It's a Girl'; six other figurines with blonde girls that progressively got older, the last one with the number six under the figure of a girl on a bike. In front of the pictures of the brunette girl were identical figurines but with brown hair, though her collection ended with the five-year-old carrying a lunch box and books.
He looked between them and the shelf next to it; that was full of figurines, there were a number of ones that were set up on tiers by themselves, and then there were others to the side that appeared to be a mother and a child, pictures of Buffy with the two little girls. The blonde girl had blue eyes, the brunette had hazel…his mind was partially racing with the implications in front of him, but he hadn't seen either of these girls around the house the last few days…
Looking away once more, he found the fourth shelf of pictures; these ones were people he knew. There were only two figurines there, one of a girl in a graduation gown next to a picture of Buffy, Cordy, Willow, Xander and Oz… And the other was a girl sitting in a chair and reading a letter, flowers by her side and the envelope said 'my love'. "I remember this," Angel smiled at the pictures next to it, of the two of them. "But I don't remember it doing this…" he glanced over at her, like every other picture there, and the other pictures from Sunnydale even, it moved and showed more than just the original image he knew had been taken.
Looking up from the letter from Fleur, Buffy chuckled as she set it aside and moved to join him. "Wizarding pictures move, a classmate of Ginny's figured out how to turn a Muggle picture into a Wizarding one. The few pictures I had brought, he did it to," she shrugged as she wrapped her arms around his waist to look at the picture in his hands, the two of them during that day they had pictures done, standing next to a red car. Well to be honest initially they had been leaning against it, Angel's elbow on the trunk while her one hand gave the counter-balance resting on the wheel, her other hand behind her resting on his hip out of sight of the camera. It hadn't been the easiest position to end up in, including one time when she slipped and almost landed on her butt except he grabbed her and they both ended up on the ground…now immortalized in the magically enhanced version of the picture that included the few minutes before and a minute or so after the picture. She didn't ask for the most part, she just loved the after-effects of the process that Colin used.
"Nice," he smiled before setting it back and looking at the others, one of Giles and Willow talking, the one from graduation, the five fighting over places in the picture… "Mind if I take one of these?" he asked as he traced the one that initially was of them standing together, her hand on his chest, the altered version including the kiss that had followed.
"Sure," she shrugged.
"Buffy…" he started as he looked back towards the shelf with pictures of the girls. "I'm not prying…"
"Angel, ask your question," she countered as she stepped away, "If I don't feel like answering then I won't…"
He nodded slowly; he really couldn't expect more, there was a lot that they didn't know about each other anymore… "Who are the girls?"
"My daughters," she answered automatically.
"Daughters…" Angel repeated; his heart dropping. Daughters implied father which implied relationship…which left him possibly just a one night fling and losing her once more.
"Yeah, my daughters," Buffy smiled softly. "Dottie's the oldest, she's six, Dorothy Joyce, she pointed out the picture of the blonde girl. "Nicole Celia or Coli is five… They're at school now."
"They're beautiful," he offered quietly. "You and their father must be very proud…"
"Well, I am," she nodded. "Angel, they're adopted…"
"Adopted…"
Buffy chuckled at his expression, he looked rather dumbfounded… "Dottie and Coli are potentials; we couldn't find their families so somehow I ended up being the one who adopted them. That was three years ago now, and they are my daughters in every way except biological," she explained automatically as she moved back towards the table.
"Potentials?" he repeated. "Why do I get the feeling there's something you aren't telling me, Buffy?"
"Because it's been nearly seven years and obviously things have happened which since I haven't told you my story yet, you don't know?" she suggested while gathering her dishes.
"That's not what I meant and you know it," Angel countered.
Sighing she made her way back to the table, leaning against the back of her chair before nodding, "Come on, there's a few things you need to see. Can you ride?"
Angel's eyebrows shot up before he smiled, "Buffy, I lived in the time before cars, I may be rusty but I can ride. You though?"
"Four plus years, Rose got me into it. I need to take Oreo out for exercise; Ebony had her lesson yesterday with Josie so she's not in quite as desperate need, Albie's suppose to be riding Dreamer tonight, but he won't mind the extra exercise. And since its Saturday, I need to go check on the girls; I'm late for my class as is…"
"Class?"
"Come on, I've got a history lesson and a half for you," Buffy smiled before turning and making her way towards her room. Frowning for a moment, Angel rose and followed after her, finding Buffy changing into a pair of worn jeans and a sweater. "We're you staying someplace while spying on me?"
"I have a hotel down the street…"
"That's what I figured," she nodded before making her way past him to the door that so far had been closed. When he followed he found it housed an office, and he momentarily wondered where her daughters' room was until he remembered there was a second door in her bedroom, perhaps it was there. Buffy however had moved straight to the closet. As he approached it, it appeared nothing more than a linen closet, when he took the step that placed the two of them side by side, it all changed. The towels, blankets, and sheets were still there, but now there were also shelves full of books, bottles, a few cauldrons… "My supply closet," she explained as she gathered a few bottles.
"What are you doing?" he asked as she grabbed a gold cauldron.
"I'm making a potion," she answered as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, while grabbing one last ingredient before turning to go back to the kitchen.
"A potion…" he repeated as he followed her.
"Mmm hmm, you can't after all go walking in the sun. And spells aren't long lasting…"
"A potion to make the sun not affect me…"
Buffy looked up and smiled at the disbelief in his voice, "Think of it as SPF 10,000." Turning her attention back to the cauldron she carefully measured, sliced and added the ingredients, nodding in satisfaction when it turned the light blue color it was supposed to. Grabbing a wooden spoon, she charmed it to stir counter clockwise twice, clockwise once, every other minute before turning to smile at him. He was still looking at her like she was nuts. "Trust me."
"Always, but this sounds insane, you know that…"
"You accept a ring makes you sun proof but not a potion," she chuckled. "And of course I do," she continued with a shrug, "That will be ten minutes; I need to get a message to Elvellon to have Dreamer and Oreo moved to Steep Holm."
"Steep Holm?"
"That's where we set up the Academy," Buffy answered as she rummaged through a drawer before producing a pen and pad of paper. Writing a quick note she sent Azure on her way.
"Is it supposed to be red?"
"Looks like blood?" Buffy asked as she moved over to join him, finding it did, "Yeah, it's done…" she nodded, grabbing a cup she poured the potion in before handing it to him.
Angel took a sniff, surprised when it smelled like blood, taking a sip he found it tasted like blood as well…with a shrug he drank it down while she watched him with a smirk. "I don't feel any different…" he shrugged after a few moments.
"You're also not bursting into flames," she pointed out with a smile, nodding towards the windows. "I dropped the spells, that's regular sunlight coming through, u-v and all."
"Wow," he whispered, staring out the windows.
"Yeah," Buffy smiled. "Come on, lets go and you can get cleaned up or whatever then we can head to the Academy. And I'll give you my history lesson as we travel."
"Okay," he agreed as she grabbed a coat before making her way towards the door, Ange waiting there with a leash already attached to his collar. Angel shook his head, grabbing his duster and following her out into the sunlit winter day.
As they walked towards his hotel, and after she used her portkey to take herself, Angel and Ange to the island; she explained what had occurred in the past few years with the Watcher's Council and Potentials, well the Potentials they identified. She also explained the whole thing the Council had done to stop the Slayers from being able to use their magic from the demon blood, and how they now took in Potentials from the Wizarding World. And she told him the stories of her daughters, and how Nicole and Dorothy came to be in her life. She had just finished explaining the major points of the last few years in the history of the Academy, when they came to the top of the hill that looked out on the school they had built, the three having picked up the horses at the stables just a few hundred yards from the beach when they arrived fifteen minutes earlier.
"Wow," Angel looked out over the array of buildings. "You've done well for the girls…"
"We have amazing funding from the Department," Buffy smiled, Ange moving ahead of them, now free of his leash. "Come on, you can meet a few of the Council members if you want, or you can just wander the grounds or come join me in class or whatever…" she offered as she nudged Oreo on. Angel didn't answer, instead following her down the hill towards the school, and towards the stable where she dismounted and handed the reins to a house elf.
"I promise, I'll explain," she chuckled at the look on his face.
"If you say so," he smiled before following her towards the main building.
"Any idea on what you want to do?" she asked after a moment.
"I think I'll just stay with you, if you don't mind."
"Not at all," she smiled as they reached the doors and he stepped forward to open one so she could enter, Ange going in as well before Angel followed.
Inside, Angel looked around at the large entrance, a double staircase ahead that led to the second floor, then continued on to the third. Through the hall under the staircase he could see a large lounge straight ahead, but followed Buffy as she turned and went towards the right, various girls calling out greetings as they walked, and she answered each of them by name.
"Hey Buffy!" one of three girls called and Buffy stopped to look over at them sitting in a small group of chairs.
"Hi girls, shouldn't you be in class?" she raised an eyebrow in their direction.
"Well…" another one started.
"Princess, Duchess, Countess, get your butts to class before you give Professor Piccard any more reason to give you detention longer than the two months you have it currently."
"How do you know about that!" the first demanded.
"Because it's kinda hard to miss that you three interrupted class by throwing paper balls at the teacher, Duchess," Buffy countered.
"He told you, didn't he?" the third one pouted.
"No, actually he didn't. A few of the other girls did," Buffy winked before turning and starting to continue the way she had gone before turning around and walking backwards as she looked at the three who were rising. "Oh and girls, I catch you sneaking out again like you did Friday, two months detention with Séb is going to be the least of your problems."
"God damn it!" one of the girls muttered as they walked away, Angel smirking when he heard her before joining Buffy as she spun back around to face the direction they started in.
"They remind me of Cordelia when I first met her…"
"Me too," Buffy chuckled. "And of myself before I was called, they were the popular ones in each of their schools before they came here. We call them the Royals for short. They're our problem girls compared to the Mouseketeers who are our… well they certainly aren't angels but they don't drive us quite as insane," she grinned before stopping in front of a set of doors. "Ready? There's going to be at least ten girls in there, could be up to forty or fifty though…"
"I'll survive," he smirked and she shook her head before grabbing the handle and opening the door.
"Sorry, I'm late girls," she spoke as she walked in, Angel and Ange following. Angel followed Ange over to an empty spot while Buffy walked around the room. Spread throughout the room on dozens of couches, recliners, and pillows on the floor were about thirty girls ranging in age from twelve to seventeen. The three across the room were watching Angel very closely he noticed.
"What kept you away?" one of the three asked with a smile, and he realized why he recognized them, from some of the pictures at Buffy's…this was the red-head speaking.
"I had things to see to, Elvira," Buffy answered before looking around. "Okay guys, who can tell me where we left off last time if you were here?"
"We were talking about dimensions," a fourteen year old with her hair dyed pink spoke up.
"That's right," Buffy nodded, "So, who can tell me what type of dimensions there are?"
"Alternate dimensions?" someone called.
"What do you mean, Jessie?"
"Well, you know it's like people talk about alternate realities. Like at this exact moment in time, in another reality you are doing the exact same thing, but when you make a choice here if you make a different one there then it becomes a different reality. Supposedly there could be millions of different realities…"
"Read that in a Muggle book, huh?" Buffy smiled. "There are alternate dimensions, where other versions of yourself could exist. But to my knowledge they aren't made by a simple decision being made different in one dimension from another. Each one is governed by The Powers That Be, though I'm not quite sure if they have their own branch so to speak or what. What other type of dimensions are there?"
"Heaven?" a ten year old spoke up, Angel noticing her for the first time.
"Well that's an interesting concept, isn't it, Amber," Buffy smiled at her as she leant against the couch where some of the girls were seated. "No one really knows if there is more than one dimension to heaven."
"But someone has been to one dimension in heaven," one of the three from the pictures pointed out.
"True, Rayen, but it's not something you exactly interrogate a person about," Buffy looked over at her quickly.
"Still, what is it like?" the third girl pressed and Buffy sighed.
"I imagine it's different for each person, Chiara, there are only two people known to have been to heaven and while their experiences are exceptionally alike…it no doubt varies from person to person."
"But what was it like?" one of the younger girls spoke up quietly. "Is it scary?"
"Oh no, Sweetie, it's not scary," Buffy smiled softly. "Its heaven, you will feel at peace and happy and you'll know that everyone you care about is all right. It's the most wonderful place to be."
"What about Hell dimensions?" a girl to the back asked.
"That's a very good question," Buffy nodded as she sent another smile towards the younger girl before focusing on the new topic. "There are dozens of theories on Hell, or Hell dimensions," she began as she started to walk around. "One such theory is based on a book, Dante's Inferno. In it there are seven levels of hell, each one gets progressively worse, and the people sent to them, their sins are progressively worse as they go. It's interesting though, one ring, level, whatever you want to call it is supposed to be for people who were really greedy in life or hoarded their money I think it was. Everyone is split into two groups, one on each side of a canyon, for a period of time there is food placed in front of one group, but they can't eat it. While across the canyon the other group is stuck just sitting and watching them until suddenly the food leaves the first group and appears in front of the other – and like the first group the second group can not eat the food. It's never ending…"
"How is that a punishment?"
"Well," Buffy sighed, "Imagine living for eternity, unable to eat, being stuck to watch as those across from you have this wonderful food in front of them. And when you think you're going to go insane watching the food in front of them, it appears in front of you but you still can't eat it, and having it so close must be ten times worse than looking at it from afar. At least then you couldn't smell it, actually see it for every delicious morsel it would be…then it leaves you again and you go back to staring from afar. Back and forth, back and forth until the end of time itself."
"Good point," Elvira agreed.
"Has anyone actually been back from a Hell Dimension?"
Buffy nodded slowly, "There is record of one person being sent back from a Hell Dimension," she agreed.
"How did he get back?"
"Why was he allowed back?"
"Slow down," Buffy chuckled before they could throw more questions at her. "How this person got back, and I'm not telling you if it was a he or she…but I will refer to this person as a he simply to avoid saying 'this person', alright?" she looked around to see their nods, catching Angel's eyes for just a second before moving past. "Now, how he got back, none really understand. By the time he did he had spent a hundred years there and it was only a matter of months in this world…as for why he was allowed back, he didn't belong there, Hell can't keep someone who doesn't belong to them."
"How did he end up there in the first place?"
"According to the stories told, in order to save the world he was sacrificed and the cost was that he was sent to Hell," Buffy answered softly.
"Wha would make someone want ta sacrifice their lives like tha?"
"That's a good question, Erin," Buffy looked over at the young Irish girl. "It's one, God willing, none of you will have to face."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, she did die twice after all," another girl spoke up.
"Doesn't mean she made the choice to die!"
"She's the Slayer; you don't exactly get a choice."
Buffy sighed, shaking her head before stepping towards the middle of the room, "Enough!" she yelled to be heard over them. "I see it's actually time I talked about a few things then? Before this argument stems out from here," she looked around at everyone slowly. "Now, the first question was why someone would want to make a sacrifice like that, and why I hope that none of you have to make it…. You all know that I've died, not once but twice. It's no secret sadly… What none of you know are the circumstances surrounding my deaths."
Angel caught Buffy shooting the three on the couch, Elvira, Chiara and Rayen, a look before she continued.
"I was sixteen the first time I died, there was this whole prophecy that my Watcher found out about, he wasn't going to tell me, was actually discussing it with a friend of mine as they tried to find a way around it when I overheard."
"What did you do? Did you just accept it?"
Buffy glanced over at the speaker and shook her head. "No, actually I told my Watcher I quit, they needed to find someone else to fight Nest, the Master…went as far as to tear the cross I had worn for the last months from my neck and leave it behind as I ran away."
"Then how did you die?"
Buffy smiled sadly, "I realized that if I just walked away, people would die. Not just in the grand scheme of things, but people I knew and loved, my family, my friends, classmates I saw day in and day out. So I went, knocked my Watcher out when he argued with me about going, and went to face the Master."
"And you died," one of the girls spoke up, "You sacrificed yourself to save the world."
"Yes," Buffy agreed. "A Slayer has to face the fact that she can die any day, you think you know what it means when you're out there fighting vampires and demons each night and day – but to actually be told that if you do this you will die, that you have no choice in the matter, that in a matter of hours or days you will be dead…it is a lot harder to face and to be able to go out and do it. But you do, because if you don't, the world will suffer. And if it means you die trying, at least you tried."
"Did your second death have a prophecy too?"
"No," she shook her head as she leaned against a wall. "There was a Hell God, attempting to open the portal back to her world. She needed my sister's blood to open it, and once open it would make all of the walls separating the different dimensions break, allowing creatures from all of them to enter our world. I was told by my Watcher that if it came down to it, I would have to kill my sister to save the world."
"How could he do that!" one of the girls yelled.
Buffy smiled sadly, "He knew that above all else, I had to save the world. It was my job, my destiny, it was why I existed. Didn't make it any easier, mind you," she glanced around once more, noticing Angel was watching her just as intently. "In the end, I was too late to stop the portal from being opened, and the only way to close it was for the blood to stop flowing."
"In other words, kill your sister?"
"Yes," she agreed. "But when I was up there on that tower I realized something, you see my sister wasn't always my sister. She was the key that would open the portal, and the monks who protected the key chose to give her human form and place her with the person who could protect her best. Me… So in order to give her human form, and make sure I would protect her, they used my blood, and created memories for everyone in my family, everyone who had ever known me so that we would all remember my sister as my sister. In the end we found out the truth, but regardless of whether my memories were fake or not, she was still my sister, I loved her, so I wasn't about to let her die."
"And her blood was your blood…"
"Exactly, up on that tower, as I heard my friends being hurt below, and saw the dimensional walls falling, I realized I couldn't give up my sister, and this would be my chance."
"What chance?"
"To be free," Buffy answered simply. "A few weeks earlier I went on what for all intents and purposes was a vision quest. While on it, I met with the First Slayer, and she told me 'death was my gift'."
"You're gift to give others?"
"That's what I thought too, Rebecca. But as I was up there on that tower I realized that I was wrong. Death was my gift for all I had done. And I welcomed it with open arms."
"Why would you want to die?"
She smiled sadly once more as she glanced down, "Being a Slayer is hard, not just physically – don't get me wrong getting the hell beat out of you each night is a bitch. It wears you down, every day you go out and fight; you put your life on the line every night, then try to have a semi-normal life during the day. Just when you think you're going to get a moment's peace, another vampire or demon or apocalypse happens, it's never ending. And you reach the point where you would give anything to be free, to just be able to sleep for days on end and not have to worry about who out there is being killed because you're not there to save them. And it's not just the evil minions; it's the humans occasionally, seeing what other humans are capable of is even worse than seeing what the creatures of darkness are capable of. You know what to expect from them, never from humans. You want to know what kills more Slayers than anything else. If they manage to get past their first few months?" she looked around at each girl in turn, avoiding Angel's eyes for now. "They give up, they want to die. They go out and they'll just stop one night, let a vampire kill them. Because it's easier, because you're free and you can just rest for the rest of eternity. When I was up on that tower, I had already reached that point in my own life, but I kept fighting because I didn't get a choice, my family was at stake. I had made it clear though, to my Watcher that if my sister died, I would walk away… In the end though, I was given a chance to find my peace while saving my sister, my friends, and the world. That's why I jumped off that tower into the portal, that's why I chose to sacrifice my life for a second time."
"So, you sacrificed yourself for selfish reasons?" one of the girls asked quietly after a few moments.
"Yes," she admitted. "I gave my life once because it was the right thing, because I knew that it was what was needed to save the world. The second time…again, I knew that it was the right thing, that I had to save the world, but I was selfish, I wanted my freedom and there was my chance. Sacrifices are never made simply for unselfish reasons. People make selfish sacrifices every day. And a Slayer is no different. In a way perhaps we are worse… There's a darkness within each Slayer, a darkness we can't fight. Most of us bury it, deny it is there, perhaps that fight is a part of what makes us burn out so much quicker than any other person who deals with the hardships of life…"
"What darkness?"
"You know the history of the Slayer line, about the First Slayer who was chosen and a demon heart was put in place of her own. That demon blood flows through the veins of any Slayer called since then. Over time it's almost like you have a demon within you, the longer you live, the stronger the demon presence becomes. It becomes a battle within you…in the end I believe that is the greatest reason a Slayer welcomes death, to be free of the demon that they don't want to try and control anymore."
"If we are called, we'll have to face all of that?" a girl about sixteen asked, fear in her voice.
"I'm afraid so, Valerie," Buffy agreed with a sad smile. "That's why I pray each of you reaches your eighteenth birthday before my sister Slayer dies. So that you will never have to face the life of a Slayer, the toll it takes upon you," Before she could continue further they all heard a bell ring throughout the school. "We'll continue this next time. Don't stress about it too much girls, if I know my sister Slayer, she's not going down without a fight and plans to live to be a hundred."
Laughter echoed in the room as the girls rose and made their way from the room, save for the three Angel had recognized. Instead they waited until everyone was gone before approaching Angel.
"Hi," Elvira greeted with a smirk. "About time you showed up."
"Really now," Chiara agreed.
"Girls, get to class," Buffy ordered as she walked up behind them. All three turned and looked at her before sighing and moving past Angel.
"Interesting three…I noticed pictures of them at your place," Angel spoke quietly once they were gone, Buffy continued on her path to lean against the side of the couch next to him.
"The mouseketeers as we call them," she answered with a grin. "They were the first three Potentials we identified in the Wizarding World; to be honest I'm closer to them than any other girls. I train the girls who are witches to learn how to fight while using their magic; they were the only ones I had for about six months."
"They seemed to know me…" he mused.
"A few months ago I caught them out at a club in Barstow. I ended up making a deal with them that I'd entertain them that night and they swore to never sneak out again, they haven't but now we've got the Royals attempting it," she sighed before shaking her head. "They dragged my love life out of me; to be honest they're the only ones who really know anything about you, with the rest of the 'family' as we all call each other… And I'm not talking about the Potentials," she looked over at him with a half smile, "none of them really know anything other than you were my first love, a few know that you were a vampire with a soul, even less know exactly what you really were to me. Only Gin and the mouseketeers know the full extent of our relationship…well other than one thing," she shrugged.
"What thing?"
"A day time forgot," she answered softly.
"You remember?" Angel sat up, staring at her in shock. "Dear God, Buffy…how?"
"I remembered two days after I woke up, the morning before I left the States," she explained as she moved to sit on the couch next to him. "It's okay you know, once I remembered, I understood why. I understood then, but I did even more after everything that followed. I would have done the same thing had the roles been reversed."
"You weren't supposed to remember," he sighed heavily. "I didn't want you to have to go through life knowing…"
"It's okay though," she reached over to hold his hand in her own. "Sometimes the things that haunt us most are the things that help us grow. Those memories…they were what I held on to these years when I would watch the others with their families. We had that, even for a day. It was enough for me to make it through the hard times."
"You've never married…"
"How could I?" she reached up to brush her fingers along his cheek. "I gave my heart and soul away when I was sixteen. I can never love someone else, and I can't ask someone to be mine if I will never be able to give him my heart. It's not fair to them, I tried with Riley, and it led him to decisions that could have killed him. I won't do it to another."
Angel nodded, letting it drop for now. "You didn't tell them all the details about when you sent me to hell…"
"Not my story to tell," she shrugged.
"You weren't in hell," Angel spoke after a few minutes of comfortable silence. She didn't answer, it wasn't a question. "I was never able to believe you would end up there, you were meant for heaven…. But when they told us they brought you back, I figured you must have been there, as much as the thought of you in hell killed me."
"There are days I wish I had been, it would have been easier."
"Never," he growled as he turned her towards him, the sight of his demon didn't frighten her as it did the first time she saw it so many years before. "Never say that, Buffy," he continued, calming down as his visage returned to the one he normally wore.
"I can't imagine a hell dimension being worse than what I woke up to, Angel," she admitted quietly, "Its gotten easier over the years – I've found a life that makes me happy. But at night; when I sleep…I can never forget. Except…"
"Except?" he prodded gently.
"Last night was the first time in six and a half years that I haven't been tortured by memories of heaven. I had heaven sleeping in your arms," she whispered.
"Oh, Sweetheart," he sighed, pulling her close. "I know the feeling, in your arms I've always felt as close to heaven as I'll ever get."
Buffy pulled away from him to reach up and brush her thumb along his cheekbone, "Don't say that, Angel. You're going to have heaven…"
"Buffy, you're meant for heaven, I'm meant for hell…"
"Why? Because of what you've done in your life?" she demanded angrily.
"Buffy…" he began to try and stop the impending argument.
"No, Angel, listen to me, please," she added softly before he nodded. "You are a good man, Angel. You have done so much good in the last years, saved countless lives. The things you did as Angelus…you have to realize someday, my Angel, that it wasn't you. It was him. And even if someone said you must pay for his crimes…then you did when I sent you to hell."
"But…"
"Shh," she placed a finger against his lips, "Just believe me on this, you've asked for forgiveness for sins you've never committed, you've sought redemption for things you didn't do. You've saved so very many, and helped others fight and succeed in saving others. Because of you, so many have been rescued, not just at your hands but at the hands of those you inspire, your friends and family and people who look at the example you give and take strength in it."
He didn't argue, and she sat back, Angel pulling her into his side as they just enjoyed a few minutes together. They heard another bell ring, and Buffy looked up before sighing softly, "the younger girls are changing classes…" she explained before looking up at him. "You have to go back," she smiled sadly.
"I have to."
"She nodded before sighing again, "When do you leave?"
"I should call soon, see if Wes found the girl…" he trailed off at her smile, "you guys already got her, don't you?"
"Had her three days ago. We keep constant track. Call Wes and tell him he can head home…"
"Why?" he looked at her questioningly.
"I figured you could travel with me," she shrugged with one shoulder.
"With you?" Angel frowned in confusion.
"You think I'm leaving Potentials in Sunnydale, think again lover," she countered before holding a hand up to stop him. "Angel, these girls are my responsibility, yes Faith is a Slayer, but she's not a part of the Council, neither is Giles. If you want to look at it in one way, Faith is the Slayer who fights; I'm the Slayer who protects the future generations. The girls aren't safe there, not like they are here at the school. This is my purpose, Angel, to protect and train the future generations while giving them the chance of a regular life."
"They aren't going to take it well, you trying to take them."
"Normally that would be a problem. But in this particular instance, if they fight, they won't get a choice. If it's for a girl's safety from danger, imminent danger, then we don't give them a choice. And I can't imagine a greater danger than there on the Hellmouth where the First Evil is actively campaigning to destroy the line."
"So, what? You're gonna come in, knock them out then leave?"
"No, I'm going to come, offer them a choice, knock out those I need to, then contact the Council to come and get them while I stay to help fight."
"You're staying?"
"I've spent the last five and a half years first fighting what I am, then finally embracing it so I could protect the Potentials. I've never truly accepted the fact that I am a Slayer. The only one to have died twice; fought numerous Masters and lived to tell the tales; the first Slayer in over three hundred years to be truly, completely, properly trained… It's time I accepted that I'll always, in my blood, be a Slayer, I've conquered my inner demon over the years, learned to work with it… If there is any battle left in my life for me to fight, then it's this one. It's not only the world that I grew up in at stake, if the First Evil wins, then she wont stop until she's destroyed everything, the Wizarding World, all of the Potentials, and all of those in the Muggle world as I've learned to refer to it during all my years here."
"Muggle?"
"Wizarding name for those without magic," she smiled.
"Okay," he agreed after a moment. "So, how are we getting to Sunnydale?"
"We're going my way," Buffy chuckled. "Come on there's a few things I need to do first. We'll go after night has fallen in Sunnydale."
"How exactly are we getting to California?" he asked curiously, watching as she stood and made her way towards a desk he hadn't noticed before.
"Magic," she winked before digging out a piece of paper and writing quickly. A second piece of paper took a longer time being written upon before she dropped the pen in a drawer and looked up at him. "Want to meet my girls?"
"Sure," he grinned as he moved to meet her on her way to the door. They paused long enough so Buffy could hang one of the papers on the door, a notice that class was canceled for the rest of the day, before she slipped her hand in his and led him through the school, pointing out a few things here and there until they stopped outside a classroom.
"Give me a sec," she smiled before knocking and stepping into the room. "Sorry Theresa, but can I steal Dottie and Coli?"
"Sure," Theresa smiled before looking at the two as they quickly gathered their stuff and made their escape, the older girls giggling before calling their goodbyes as Buffy opened the door so the two could go out in front of her.
"We know you!" Dorothy announced as soon as she spotted Angel.
"You do?" he asked surprised as Buffy closed the door and shrugged.
"You're the one in the picture that makes Mommy smile," Nicole explained.
"Yeah, the pictures that always make her sad…" Dorothy agreed. "Where have you been?" she sent him an accusatory look.
Buffy started to say something before he shook his head slightly; she frowned but closed her mouth as he knelt down to their eye level. "I had to go away for a while, and take care of a lot of stuff. I didn't mean to hurt your Mommy, but I want to spend the rest of our lives making it up to her. If you two are okay with that…"
They exchanged a look before turning back to him and grinning, "Make her smile again," Dorothy ordered.
"I'll do my best," Angel agreed with a smile before looking up to find Buffy watching him with a sort of half smile but also confusion in her eyes.
"Come on you two, why don't we take your things up to your room and then you can go see Oreo and Dreamer with us?" Buffy suggested.
"Yes!" they both cried before giggling, Buffy just shook her head before picking up Nicole as she reached up for her.
"You're getting too big for this kid," she smiled as Dorothy grabbed Angel's hand after he stood.
"I find that rather hard to believe," he teased as they started down the hall, "Slayer strength and all," he smirked.
"Oh shut up," she stuck her tongue out at him before looking back at Nicole as she giggled, "And what is so funny, my little miss?"
"You acting like a kid," she answered through her giggles.
"You are," he agreed as they started up the stairs, "Hey!" he continued when she smacked his shoulder. "It's true…"
"I have no idea how Cordy put up with you all these years in L.A., she doesn't even have the luxury of being in love with you as an excuse."
"You and me both."
"Who's Cordy?"
"Do you remember the picture of me with five friends, with funky hats on our heads and we're all dressed in the same red outfits?" Buffy looked down at Dorothy.
"Yeah…"
"Remember the girl with really dark hair? That's Cordy. She went to high school with me and later went on to work with Angel in Los Angeles."
"Ooooh," Dorothy nodded. "So, your name is Mr. Angel?"
"Oh God," Buffy groaned. "You have a silly mommy, I forgot to introduce you to each other," she continued while Nicole giggled. "Dorothy, Nicole, this is my good friend Mr. Angel, Angel these are my girls, Dorothy and Nicole."
"But everyone calls me Dottie and her Coli," Dorothy continued. "Angel is a silly name for boy. Why would your mother name you that?"
"Actually," Angel began with a smile, "My mother named me Liam…"
"Oh," Dorothy nodded as if that solved everything, "I would use Angel too."
Buffy wasn't able to stop the snort that escaped as she tried not to laugh, sending Angel an innocent look when he glanced at her. "Okay guys, here we are," she announced, welcoming the sight of the door to the girls' room. Setting Nicole down, they both rushed into the room, eager to get out and see the horses and no doubt get their hands on Ange who until now had remained far enough behind to watch over Buffy, but also remain unseen. Buffy glanced over to see him standing at the end of the corridor watching them. "Fraidy cat," she whispered, smirking when his ears flicked up before flicking back as he grumbled at her.
"Did I miss something?" she turned to find Angel watching her, one eyebrow quirked in amusement.
"My dear familiar, while he adores my daughters, is also a bit afraid of them. For all his malamute blood, he's still got the wolf blood and likes to be by himself while still able to watch over me. The girls don't exactly like to leave him alone, they adore him too much," she shrugged lightly.
"They remind me a lot of you."
"And you barely know them," Buffy smirked. "Draco says they've been around me too much since we found them, they're picking up my bad habits. Gin just tells him to grow up and deal with it, mini Buffy's are a good thing supposedly."
"Well, the original is a pretty good thing so I imagine mini ones would be just as good," Angel gave her that smile that always made her weak in the knees.
"Stop with the compliments…I have daughters within ear and eye shot…" she ordered with a smile, but at the same time if he didn't…God she had missed him.
"Yes, ma'am," he winked before looking up at the sound of feet running back towards them. "The mini Buffys return."
"Shut up," she hissed, laughter coloring her voice though, as she smacked his arm lightly.
"Ready Mommy," Nicole grinned when they appeared in front of her and Angel.
"You put your stuff away in the right place?" Buffy raised an eyebrow before both nodded eagerly. "Hmm, well in that case I suppose we could go down."
"Mommy!" they both whined before she chuckled.
"Alright, alright, I promised so let's go."
"Yes!"
"They're fast," Angel mused; the two had spotted the dog at the end of the hall and were currently kneeling next to him and hugging any square inch of him they could.
"I know," she smiled as he took her hand in his and they started down the hall. "Sometimes I'm thankful for Slayer speed for being able to keep up with them more than I ever was for it keeping me up with demons and such."
"I know the feeling," he chuckled, his mind reminding him that he needed to tell her about Connor, and soon…
"Come on, lets go spend some time with my daughters until nightfall then I can make a few more arrangements and we can be on our way to save the world, again," she added with a smile. "You think we'll ever get too old for this? Although I suppose you wouldn't be for a few hundred more years…"
"Hey!" he looked down at her and she giggled, suddenly looking very much like the sixteen-year-old that had been so determined to win his heart without knowing she already had it. "Brat."
"Thank you," she grinned before leaning her head on his shoulder. "But you put up with me anyway, lover," she continued softly.
"Always," he answered quietly as they reached the end of the hall and followed the girls, and a disgruntled Ange, out into the sunlight and towards the stables.