Authors Note: I really don't like Authors notes as I feel they disrupt the flow of the story. However, I've received a couple messages and need to clear up a little confusion.

I'm 99% sure I am not going to include Connor in this story. I've always imagined including him as part of it , but his presence really wouldn't add any substance in this world. I feel like I should apologize for this, as it is one of my biggest pet peeves as a reader when someone writes an entire character out of existence. That being said Joss basically did the same thing to Connor so I do feel less bad about it, and he will exist in other works I have planned.

Cordelia and Angel never existed as a couple in my mind, there were no romantic feelings or thoughts, etc. That pairing was so incredibly out of character for each of them, I just can not deal with it. (Sorry Cangel lovers) As a character I loved Cordy, I loved the friendship dynamic between her and Angel, and I loved her growth, but she also will not be in this story. I probably will not get into her death as it happened before this time frame, so let your imaginations run wild. ;-)

Lastly, I just wanted to say a huge Thank You to everyone that is reading and reviewing this! I had no intentions of completing this, and now I'm knee deep in an entire season rewrite :-)

...

Thankfully their flight had been uneventful, well if you consider being stuck on a plane for nearly four hours playing twenty questions uneventful. Faith was relentless in her quest for details, and under any other circumstance Buffy would have happily obliged. But this wasn't some random who took her to dinner. This was Angel, and she wasn't exactly in a sharing mood.

By the time they made back to their apartment, Buffy was exhausted, the lack of sleep over the last few days was really catching up to her. Walking up the stairs, Buffy dragged her suit case behind her. It wasn't until Faith caught up to her, grabbing it from her hand that she realized how much she had been struggling.

"Geez B, Angel must have really taken it out of you."

Following Faith into the apartment she was just about to respond when her purse began to vibrate, looking inside she was surprised to find a phone that she had never seen before.

"Uh, Hello?"

She couldn't stop the smile from spreading on her face when she realized who was on the other end of the line. "How was your flight?"

Dropping her shoulder bag on top of the suit case Faith had carried up, Buffy kicked off her shoes as she made her way to her room. Sighing she ignored Faith's questioning stare as she went. "Long."

Shutting the door behind her, she opened her closet in search of something. "Should have taken the jet." Opening a box in the back of the closet she finally found what she had been searching for, pulling her dress over head she threw it in the laundry basket next to her bed.

"Maybe you should have given me a tour of it." She could hear Angel groan on the other end of the line, it had only been a few hours and already she ached for him.

Angel sat in his office with the blinds closed, leaning back in his expensive leather chair he tried to block the image she was creating out of his mind. "Well there's always next time, I just wanted to make sure you made it home." He was desperately trying to change the subject, the last thing he needed was another case of blue balls. He needed to be focused when he met with Hamilton, he needed to ensure that she wasn't a target.

Buffy pulled the old black t-shirt over her head, stretched and faded from years of use, it was one of the few things she had of his. Climbing into her bed, she curled up under the covers, cradling the phone to her ear. "We did, I actually just climbed into bed."

Clearing his throat, Angel pushed the images of her underneath him in his bed from his mind. "Little early for bed isn't it?" Buffy smiled into her pillow, "Someone kept me up all weekend.".

"Any regrets?" Angel shifted uncomfortably in his seat, reaching over to the keyboard, he let the pilot know to have the jet fueled and ready for Friday night.

"Not a single one… Angel?" He loved the way his name sounded on her lips, "Hmm.".

"I love you."

In that moment he would have given anything to be able to walk out of Wolfram and Hart, never looking back. "I love you… Hey, why don't you get some sleep, call me tonight."

Pouting Buffy whined into the phone, "Mmmm, but I like talking to you."

"Buffy." She wasn't sure if he was saying her name in warning or as a plea.

The intercom beeped, it was Harmony alerting him that Hamilton was on his way up. Having heard the interruption on the other end of the line Buffy sighed in irritation.

"Fine, but for the record I really don't like that guy." Angel wasn't aware that she had met Hamilton, and made a mental note to question her about it later.

"Me either, but I have…"

Buffy cut him off, finishing his sentence. "To go, I know. Okay, well I guess we'll talk later." Angel quickly exited out of the email screen on his computer, the more he could keep from Hamilton the better off he was. "Be careful."

Closing her eyes, she briefly wondered how careful she needed to be while sleeping. "You too… Oh and Angel, thank you for the phone."

Angel hung up the phone just as Hamilton walked through the door, "Hamilton.". Walking over to the small bar, Angel picked up a bottle of aged whiskey, pouring two glasses.

Hamilton closing the door behind him, walked over and sat his briefcase in the chair opposite Angel's desk.

"So tell me Angel, how are the slayers?"

…..

Buffy groaned as she woke up in her bed, memories from the previous days slowly trickled back. A small smile graced her face as she replayed the events in her mind. For the first time in a very long time, she felt truly happy, like the girl she use to be.

The sun was just beginning to set when she had woken, having been days since her last patrol she woke Faith to make rounds with her. Cleveland was a lot bigger than Sunnydale, which meant that there was more ground to cover. Though luckily that also meant the demon population had more room to spread out, which seemed to result in less human fatalities.

They made a quick sweep through two of the cemeteries, dusting four vamps between the two of them. Afterwards as they were making there way through an industrial district, Faith stopped and turned towards her.

"You know B, bullshit aside I'm happy for you, believe me it makes my life easier that you and Angel are back together. I mean I no longer have to do the weird dodgy thing…."

Crossing her arms in front of her chest, Buffy rolled her eyes. What weird dodgy thing?

"I feel a but coming on."

Faith bit her lower lip, she really didn't want to rain on her parade, but something was definitely off in L.A.. "Buttt, didn't things seem weird to you? I mean things between Angel and his team… they were obviously strained."

Buffy wasn't sure what she meant, things between Angel and Spike were tense, but then again things were always tense between those two. As for anyone else, she had kind of been too preoccupied to notice.

"I don't know Faith, maybe they're still adjusting to that Fred girls death." Knowing It wasn't that long ago that Willow was there attempting to stop Illyria from infecting her.

"I don't know B, Willow took Illyria back to Giles what two months ago?" Buffy knew she was pulling at threads, she too had sensed something was going on in L.A., but a part of her had hoped she was over reacting. Didn't they deserve a break from world ending death and destruction.

"I'll talk to him, but I'm not sure how much good it will do. I tried back in L.A., all he would tell me was he had it under control."

Nodding, Faith turned and began walking beside her once again. "Well whatever it is, I'm sure he would let us know if he's in over his head. Angel knows who his real friends are."

…..

Back in his office, Angel walked back to his desk, taking a seat he handed Hamilton the glass of amber liquid. "Back in Ohio, as we planned."

Hamilton eyed him suspiciously, "And the blonde one, Buffy. I hear you two… reconciled." Taking a seat Hamilton locked eyes with Angel, still unsure he could be trusted.

Angel shrugged, "I fucked her, it was long time coming. Besides, we don't need them in our way. It's best if they believe I'm still playing for the good guys."

Hamilton didn't make a sound, Angel was beginning to worry that his entire plan was falling apart. Then Hamilton raised his glass in cheers, "Maybe I should have a go, I've always wondered about the stamina of a slayer.".