With Arms Wide Open Book 2 Chapter 10

A/N: There isn't too much word for word from the episodes in this chapter. But there a couple of speeches I wanted to get right, so I transcribed them myself from Choices and Prom. I'm not sure who wrote these episodes.

Thanks to all my Beta Team.

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"I'm worried about Faith," Buffy said to Giles and Angel.

"She's already gained some important information, Buffy."

"I know, Giles. We wouldn't know that the mayor had destroyed all of the deputy mayor's files or that he's going to 'ascend' into something. And that says that he has something to hide. But, ever since he bought Faith her own townhouse, I'm afraid that she'll ... betray us for real."

"Why do you think that?" Angel said.

"It's just a feeling I've got. It's silly now that I've said it aloud."

"I don't think it's silly. You're worried about someone who you love as if she were your sister," Angel confirmed.

"I think that Faith can handle this, Buffy. If I didn't I wouldn't have approved this. We have taken precautions to keep her undercover work a secret. Only the three of us know about this. Everyone else thinks that she is pulling away from us."

Willow had thought that with the extra time that Buffy had to spend with Faith on account of them being housemates, that Faith was taking her place as best friend just a couple of weeks ago. Buffy had assured her that was not the case. If it would help, then she could choose a room on the same floor as her and Angel.

Buffy remembered the "intervention" the gang tried to have with Faith last week. Willow was none too pleased to find out that Xander had slept with Faith. Faith had blown him off and let him know that it didn't matter. It was only a one time deal. Xander had been confused. He thought it was more than that. He had tried to talk to her. Faith had stayed "in character" enough to make Xander believe that she didn't care. She even acted like she was going to kill him, until Angel came busting in through the door, "knocked her out" and tied her up with chains. The gang was in another room so that they could hear her "betrayal". As part of the plan, Faith got away and ran straight for the Mayor.

It had been part of the plan for Faith to attack one of the gang and get kicked out. Now she was on her own with the Mayor. The Mayor thought she was totally cut off from Buffy and Angel. They didn't expect him to buy her a townhouse, but he did. He had also been showering her with presents as well. Faith had confided in them that he was treating her as a daughter and not as a lover, which just confused her. But she had also been adamant that she was loyal to Buffy and Angel who had treated as a sister, an equal. It had been a close call, but Faith had taken the GED test the day before she left the mansion. She had no idea if she had passed it or not.

Only Giles, Buffy, and Angel knew that she was still getting messages to them. It was always while one of them was out patrolling. The first time, she talked to Buffy. The next time, she had hidden a message in a tomb. The method kept changing, so that nothing was a pattern and the Mayor wouldn't suspect anything.

Giles brought Buffy's thoughts back to the present by saying, "Well, I think that the bond that she has with the two of you is strong enough to keep her on the right path. If she hadn't moved in here, then I would worry. But, she has told me that she doesn't want to let you down. She's worried enough that she didn't pass the GED test and that you will be disappointed."

"I told her that we wouldn't be disappointed," Angel said.

Giles just shrugged his shoulders. After they had updated him, Buffy and Angel were going to go out on patrol, while Giles went into the Mansion Library to see if he could find anything about the Ascension.

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While on patrol, Buffy and Angel ran into a demon who offered them the Books of Ascension for five thousand dollars so he could get out town. Buffy and Angel pretended not have heard of them. Angel knew that Faith and one of the Mayor's henchmen were nearby. They couldn't give it away that they knew about the Mayor's Ascension plans. Buffy looked at Angel and asked, "How do we know he's telling the truth?"

"We don't."

"Tell you what, meet me here tomorrow night, I'll have the books with me then," the demon said.

With his enhanced hearing, Angel heard the mayor's henchman tell Faith, "We better let the Mayor know about this."

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Later that night, Angel went to the demon and paid him for the books. However, as he was walking back home, he was attacked and he lost the books. He was sure that the demons that attacked him worked for the mayor.

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Buffy's friends now knew that the Mayor was planning something called "Ascension", and they could now join in on the search. Willow had read something about an Ascension in a book that Giles had to tried to hide from her. Ever since they had tortured Tom and her eyes and hair went black, Giles had been trying to keep certain books away from her. Apparently, he needed a new hiding place.

Giles found the book and discovered that the Ascension that the book talked about wiped out a whole town.

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While they tried to plan on getting the books back from the mayor, or at least have Faith look at the books, Faith sent them a message.

"Giles, is it even possible?" Buffy asked in the privacy of the mansion.

"Yes, it's possible," Angel said.

Buffy looked at her husband worried. He walked over to her and said, "Leannán, I made you promise on our Bond that I would protect you and anyone you consider family. I meant it. A promise made on a Bond like ours can't be broken."

"Alcoholics promise to never drink again and some still do."

"That's because they're human. Vampires cannot physically break a promise made to their marked mate on their Bond."

Giles nodded his head, although he didn't know what promise Angel made to Buffy. "Also, a vampire can't lie on their Bond either."

"So, if you were to swear to me on our Bond that you only think of Faith as a sister, then it's true. Not that I wouldn't believe you anyway. It's just that…,"

"With the mayor trying to get Faith to seduce to me to join them, it would make you feel better?"

"Forget it. I trust you, fully."

"Buffy, I swear to you on our Bond, that Faith is like a younger sister to me. I have no romantic or sexual feelings towards her. I can't speak for her, but
I can tell you that I have never sensed anything other than sisterly love coming from her. There will be things that we might have to do to keep up the charade if the mayor keeps sending back up with her. According to her message, the mayor will be sending back up in case I get out of control. So we will have to act."

"And that might mean some kissing."

"Right."

"But you might not have to take it that far. You might be able to go a different route." Giles interjected.

"What do you mean?"

Giles explained, "Well, the demon world knows that you are Bonded Marked Mates. Some of the peaceful demons were in attendance, as was Willy. So it only stands to reason that the Mayor knows this as well. It also seems that the mayor knows that even Bonded Marked Mates are not necessarily monogamous. I think he is counting on that. I know the daemon that the mayor has summoned. He owes me a favor. I bet I can convince him to just make it seem like he is extracting Angel's Soul. Angel can act like he has really lost his soul and then you and Angel both go to the mayor. I'm sure that mayor knows that where one Bonded Mate goes, the other goes also. So, if one were to turn evil…."

"So, would the other one. It's much too painful to be on opposite sides and fight each other like that," Angelus continued.

"So, I would have to act like I've joined their team as well?"

"Yes. Do you think you can do it?" Giles asked.

"Of course."

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It went as planned. The daemon came and put on a light show that made it seem as if Angel had lost his soul. Angelus and Buffy tricked the mayor into thinking they were joining his side. They found out that the mayor was now invincible, Ascension would be on Graduation Day, and Faith was wonderful at acting like she had been played.

In the meantime, Faith was trying to find out how to stop the Ascension. But so far she hadn't found anything out.

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Joyce walked into the library where Buffy was studying for a final. "Buffy, I just found out that you were accepted to Northwestern! That's wonderful! I'm so proud of you!"

"Mom, I haven't really decided where I'm going, yet." Buffy didn't want her mom to get her hopes up, but at the same time, she didn't want to tell her that she couldn't move.

"Now, Buffy, I know that you have your slaying here. But Faith is here now. She can do the slaying here while you go off to college for four years and then when you get back, she can go to college for four years."

"Sounds like a plan, Mom. We'll talk it over." Yep her mom just wasn't getting it.

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The message from Faith said that she had to go pick up something important to the Accession at the airport. They needed to be there to intercept it.

Due to an accident on the interstate, Buffy and Angel were late getting to the airport and they missed the pickup. They did see a man who was drained of all blood with his hand cut off. It looked a though the hand had been cut off after a vampire had drained him.

They got to City Hall just in time to see a vampire exiting a parked limo. They got the information about the Box of Gavrock and that the mayor needed to eat whatever was inside it before the day of Ascension.

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Buffy and her team came up with a plan to get the box before the mayor had the chance to eat the contents. However, this plan went wrong and Willow was caught. Faith saw her and if it had only been Faith, she would have let it slide at the risk of Willow telling everybody, but Faith wasn't alone. The mayor had this vampire he was trying to set her up with since Angel was a one slayer vampire. This vampire had been following her around like a lost puppy, and he was with her when they both saw Willow looking at some books.

Buffy gave up on the plan to destroy the box in order to get Willow back safe and sound. However, the mayor just had to make a little holier than thou speech to Angel before the trade was made. *"Well, I wish you kids the best, I really do. But if you don't mind a bit of fatherly advice, I, uh, I-I just don't see much of a future for you two. I don't sense a lasting relationship, and not just because I plan to kill you. You two have a bumpy road ahead."

Buffy interrupted, "I don't think we need to talk about this."

The mayor was irritated, "God, you kids, you know. You don't like to think about the future. You don't like to make plans. Unless you want Faith to gut your friend like a sea bass, show a little respect for your elders."

Angel pointed out, "You're not my elder. I've got a lotta years on you."

"Yeah, and that's just one of the things you're going to have to deal with. You're immortal, she's not. It's not easy. I married my Edna May in oh-three and I was with her right until the end. Not a pretty picture. Wrinkled and senile and cursing me for my youth. Wasn't our happiest time. And let's not forget the fact* you can't even go into the sun*. I mean, come on. What kind of a life can you offer her? I don't see a lot of Sunday picnics in the offing. I see skulking in the shadows, hiding from the sun. She's a blossoming young girl and you want to keep her from the life she should have until it has passed her by. *You can't give her children, either. A woman like her, needs to be a mother don't you think?* My God! I think that's a little selfish." The mayor stared at Angel for a moment and then shook his head in disgust, "Make the trade."*

The trade was interrupted by Principal Snyder, but everyone got out alive and the mayor had his box and Faith reported back that the ritual was performed. There was nothing she could have done to stop it.

Willow gave some pages that she tore out of the Books of Ascension to Giles and he was still studying them when everyone went home.

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Buffy could tell that Angel was thinking about the mayor's speech while they laid in each other arms. "What the mayor said, it doesn't matter."

"Doesn't it? Buffy, you need the vitamin D that the sun can give you."

"Hello! That's what vitamins are for. Besides, I can still go out in the sun with my friends. I don't have to do that with you. I like our night time picnics," Buffy smiled.

Angel nodded his head, "Ok. Point taken. But one day you will want children. And I can't…."

"Angel, if that day ever comes, we can always adopt."

Angel sighed, "Buffy, one day you will want to know what it's like to carry a child inside of you."

Buffy thought about it for a moment, "I don't think so. But, if I do, there is this medical procedure called artificial insemination. One of my mom's friends in LA had it done. She went to a sperm bank, and they well, I'm not sure how it's done, but I know that sex was not involved. She said it was a medical procedure. I only heard bits and pieces of it because I wasn't supposed to be listening. When my mom realized that I was eavesdropping, they stopped talking about it."

"We'll talk about it when you're ready."

"If I'm ever ready. Really, Angel. I'm not seeing wanting to get pregnant and not be able to see my feet."

Angel decided to change the subject, "So, where are we moving to?"

"What?"

"What school have you decided on?"

"UC Sunnydale."

"Buffy, you don't have to go there, we can afford for you to go anywhere you like. After this thing with the Mayor is over, Faith can take over the slaying."

"I know, but my place is here. Besides, Willow has decided to go to UC Sunnydale as well. I'm happy with my choice."

"As long as you're happy."

"I would be happier if Willow could move into one the spare bedrooms so that she doesn't have to live in the dorms. It's really too far for her to go to her parents' house every night."

Angel smiled, "Whatever makes you happy."

"Is that a yes?"

"NO!" Angelus thought.

"Yes," Angel said at the same time.

"Why not, Angelus?" Buffy asked.

"Because I want our privacy. At least Faith is on the top floor."

"We will have our privacy. Willow will have her own room and we will have ours."

Angelus looked into his mate's eyes and knew that he couldn't deny her anything that would truly make her happy. "Fine. I'll hire a contractor to come in and fix up the rest of the rooms on this floor."

"Thank you," Buffy said as she kissed him. It wasn't long before she was showing him her appreciation.

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Buffy and Angel were following a daemon in a sewer tunnel, "Do you have a tux? I don't remember seeing one in your closet."

"Buffy, what are you talking about?"

"The Prom. You know, I told you about it a few days ago."

"Oh right. Well right now do you think you can concentrate on what we're doing and trying to find out about the Ascension?"

"You're acting just like Giles. I just want a little break!"

A vampire came up behind Buffy and growled at her. "Not now, you idiot!" she said as she staked him without even looking at him. He looked at the stake in his heart and then back up at the couple in shock as he turned to dust. "Every time I say the word 'Prom' you get cranky! What's going on?"

Angel was silent.

"Is this about what the mayor said?"

"Buffy, we'll have this conversation when we get home."

"No. If you have something to say, say it now."

Angel sighed, "Buffy, I haven't said anything before now, because I thought I could take care of it from here, but I can't. One of our hotels in New York caught fire. They need me there to sign some paperwork for the insurance. I tried to get them to fax the papers to me, but they said that I have to sign them in person. I'm sorry. I won't be able to take you to your Prom. I think you should go anyway. Go with Willow and Xander and have fun."

Buffy looked devastated, "You're not going to take me?"

"Buffy, you know I would if I could, but I have to go."

Buffy took a deep breath, "You're right. I'm being selfish. Was anyone hurt in the fire?"

"The general manager died when he went back in to get a child. He was able to get the child out, but his clothes caught fire and he didn't make. They called me this afternoon to tell me that he passed away."

"Oh Gosh, Angel. And here I am worried about some dance. You go and take care of whatever it is that you need to take care of. Buy some flowers for the manager's family; help them out financially too. Do whatever you can to take care of them. I know nothing will bring him back, but maybe it will help a little if they don't have to worry."

"Ok. I will."

"When do you have to leave?"

"I haven't made the travel arrangements yet. I'm still trying to get out of going."

"No, you're needed there."

"But I'm also needed here."

"Angel it's just a dance."

"That's not what I'm talking about, Buffy."

"The Ascension? We can do without you for a few days while you take care of business."

"Buffy, that's not it either. I already talked to Giles and he knows that I might have to leave."

"Then what are you talking about?"

"Buffy, we haven't spent the night apart since the Bonding Ceremony."

Buffy rolled her eyes, "Angel, I'll be fine. I'm eighteen and my mom was leaving for overnight business trips all the time."

Angel sighed. He wasn't sure how to explain this. He hoped she would understand, "Bonded Mates have a hard time being separated."

"Oh." Buffy thought about it and then asked, "What do you mean?"

"Well, I'm not exactly sure and neither is Giles. All we know at this point is that where ever one Bonded Mate goes, the other one follows. I've heard that the most a Bonded couple has spent apart is twenty-four hours and it was hard on them. I was never told how it was hard though."

"We'll deal."

"Yes, we will. I will try to be back in a day or so."

"Ok."

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Angel left before dawn the next day on his plane. That night was the worst night of Buffy's life. She had to ask Willow over to help her. She felt like half of her heart had been ripped out of her.

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The next day, Xander and Cordy brought in a security tape for everyone to view. They saw a hellhound attack a person who was trying on clothes for the prom.

Willow found out that Tucker Wells had sent an email to someone about killing everyone at the prom. Buffy tracked him down and sent everyone off to the Prom. She sent Giles to watch over them. He guessed that Angel wasn't scheduled to be back in time for the Prom. She told Giles that she would meet him at the gym after she killed the hell hounds.

It was close. The hellhounds had already been set loose and had arrived at the school. Buffy killed them all before they got inside the gym. She then changed into her prom dress and went inside.

Her friends never knew how close it had been. They told her how perfect everything had been so far.

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Xander was disappointed when he didn't get class clown. Buffy thought that was the last award that was to be given out, but then Jonathan got on the stage and made a speech, *"We have one more award to give out. Is Buffy Summers* MacKenzie *here tonight? Did she, um..." he found where she was standing by the punch bowl. Jonathan ignored her nervousness guessing that she wasn't sure about the attention, "This is actually a new category. First time ever. I guess there were a lot of write-in ballots, and, um, the prom committee asked me to read this. 'We're not good friends. Most of us never found the time to get to know you, but that doesn't mean we haven't noticed you. We don't talk about it much, but it's no secret that Sunnydale High isn't really like other high schools. A lot of weird stuff happens here.'"

Some people in the crowd shouted out, "Zombies! Hyena people! Snyder!" People laughed at the last comment.

Jonathan continued with his written speech, "'But, whenever there was a problem or something creepy happened, you seemed to show up and stop it. Most of the people here have been saved by you, or helped by you at one time or another. We're proud to say that the Class of '99 has the lowest mortality rate of any graduating class in Sunnydale history.'" The crowd applauded when Jonathan paused. "And we know at least part of that is because of you. So the senior class, offers its thanks, and gives you, uh, this.'" He produced a multicolored, glittering, miniature umbrella with a small metal plaque attached to the shaft. "It's from all of us, and it has written here, 'Buffy Summers* MacKenzie*, Class Protector.'" The crowd applauded and cheered as Buffy walked to the stage and took her award. *

As she accepted her award, she looked out over the crowd and saw her husband, her mate, standing beside Giles. She thanked her class and then walked off of the stage and right into the arms of the man who made her feel complete.

"Congratulations."

"Thanks."

"I walked in right as he asked where you were."

"So, you heard?"

"I did." Angel couldn't wipe the proud smile off of his face. He gently took the umbrella out of her hands and handed it to Giles as he led her out to the dance floor.

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End Chapter