Yay, glad that some of you are still here reading! I will certainly try and get around to my other ones soon as I can. Have some ideas brewing I believe on at least a couple of them.

Sorry this one's a tad short but more will be coming soon!

If We Could Fly Away

To A Place Where There's No Yesterday
Maybe We'll Find A Way
To Erase The Marks Of All This Pain

Surprisingly, they had managed to keep his release under wraps until it happened. Angel watched the insanity begin with those who'd been camped outside the center... though he still found himself a little off guard by the massive hoard of people outside his home once they finally got there. Of course, there had been a few hours in between his exit and return home so news had traveled fast.

It was petty surreal for him to be out, back into the world. He'd smiled for some pictures along the long journey here and there, answered a few brief questions that were shouted at him... mostly of if he was doing alright, glad to be going home, and joked around a bit.

When he finally arrived back at his main house, where he considered to be "home", there was quite a massive group by the gates and surrounding. Photgos, news reporters, fans, the works. Inside the gate, his drive was filled with various vehicles to some of his friends, there to help welcome him back and congratulate him on his release, his progress.

OoOoO

It hadn't been a huge gathering, just his closer friends, and nothing crazy or extreme going on. It was nice. He hugged and thanked each person for being there, laughed, shared stories, had a nice time.

It was hours later when most of the group started calling it a night, promising to see him later, saying to call or stop by if he needed anything, ect. He knew his brother, at least, was planning to stay the night so he paid no mind to him making himself comfortable.

"Man, I do hate to do this to ya," he heard Oz say, coming up beside him.

Angel smiled. "Not an issue, my friend," he assured. "You guys got a show to do in a number of hours, need that beauty rest," he joked.

Oz yawned and smiled. "You gonna be alright?"

Angel took a sip of his cup of Coke and looked towards Spike on the sofa playing video games. "Yeah, I think so. Going to be hard for awhile, adjusting and all. But I'll get there." He turned back to the guitarist. "Thank you, for everything," he said sincerely.

Oz nodded and the guys shared a quick hug as Willow strolled up. She chimed in with making sure he would be alright, letting him know just to give them a shout if he needed something, setting up plans to get together again.

Finally getting them to the door, Willow gave him a big hug, one of many from the day, and whispered "She'll be back."

Angel felt the kick in the gut that he'd felt various times already tonight. "I hope so, Will," he replied quietly.

"She will."

OoOoO

It was hard being home, in their home, without her... but as everyone went home it was hitting him harder by the minute. Her things were here but her presence was overwhelming beyond that. This was turned into a home by her, she made it more than a house, made it what it was. Things she'd brought, things she'd gotten him were everywhere. Pictures of her, of them everywhere. It smelled like her, felt like her. Her arrangement of the furniture, her choices had colored the walls, everything. And at every inch of this place were a collection of memories of her. Good and bad, everywhere.

"You alright?" Angel heard Spike call out.

He sighed, ran his hands down his face and started towards his brother to take a seat. "I'm as good as I can be right now."

Spike nodded, flipped through some television stations idly.

The two sat there in silence for several minutes before it all got to be too much for Angel and he rushed to the closest bathroom to get sick.

OoOoO

I Know We're Not The Same And
I Know That People Change And
I Know You're Gonna Find Out
What Life's All About, Yeah
I Know That Better Days Are
They're Gonna Come My Way

As the days went on, Angel found himself slowly getting back to his life. Little by little. He saw and spoke with friends, got in touch with people he needed to, went to meetings. For the most part he was staying home as much as he could, even with as hard as that was, but he made it out into the real world here and there. He spoke with his followers and fans, signed autographs and took pictures, did his best to go on with life.

He knew he had a long road ahead of him, a lot of unsure things in his life at the moment, but he was trying.

OoOoO

Buffy had been at work when the news had come out about Angel leaving the rehab center. And even with it being almost a week since, she could barely wrap her head around it. And she still had no idea what to do with it.

She had picked up the phone to call someone, to call him even more than a few times, but could never seem to go through with it. Too afraid of what she might find out. So instead, she just got the news on how he seemed everywhere else. He wasn't showing up "in his own words" yet... no interviews so far, but it wouldn't be long until it happened.

OoOoO

"You girls sure are into him aren't you?"

Buffy and Faith jumped and turned around to see Graham in the doorway. They both blushed, caught again for searching for any news on Angel.

"You really shouldn't leave your door open if you don't want to be caught in the middle of something embarrassing," he joked on.

Again, the girls blushed but Faith overcame it quickly and began steering the meet and greet in another direction with their buddy over the past few months. Buffy glanced at the headlines on the computer scree before joining in. Everything else would have to wait.

Smiling, she got up and headed toward the other two, joining on on the new conversation at hand.

OoOoO

The three of them hung around the apartment for a bit before decided to go grab a bite to eat then go out to a bar they'd been getting more accustom to lately. It was a nice break from life for awhile but Buffy still excused herself earlier than the other two in order to go on back home.

There she was able to browse around for any of the latest news, sit around and contemplate, and worry some more. She was sure that she missed him more than ever right now, these past few days when he was back into the world and looked like he was doing so well. Part of her so badly wanted to just pack up and go right now, but the other part of her both worried on making sure he would stick to this, not go through everything only to fall back into old habits soon after his release, then the other side still unsure on the two of them or his feelings toward her now.

Buffy couldn't seem to shake the fear that all he would see now was her abandoning him, all their issues without the cloud there, see that maybe those wern't his true feelings after all and it was all one big mistake to him looking back.

OoOoO

I Hear Every Word That You're Trying To Say
Well Maybe, It's Not Okay
And I See Everything That You're Trying To Do
But Baby, I Still Know The Truth

Little did she know, Angel himself had similar worries quite often. And also some similar habits.

Angel knew better, but couldn't seem to help himself when it came to still searching for her or at least any information about his love. He wasn't acting hellbent as he did before but by no means had he dropped the issue. He knew it would be best to let her come around... if she did... when she was ready but that didn't make his life any easier at the moment.

Angel also had such of a dread in his heart and soul over the endless possibilities there could be. Such as the horror of if Buffy really did never come back, that she was just gone and that was that. That she was done with him, done with them. Or the idea that she would finally contact him or see him but bring bad news along with her. To tell him she had moved on during this time or that she just had no interest in their relationship anymore. Afraid that he'd ruined everything for good. That someone else either was or could be everything she had needed him to be and that he failed so horribly on.

Angel was terrified he was too late on getting his act right for her.

When the floods hit him, it was the biggest struggle not to go out and make the pain just go away for awhile. But he was holding strong.

OoOoO

Buffy was already in her pj's and sitting around watching a movie when Faith strolled in finally, the goofy daze on her face she'd been prone to having lately anytime she spent some time or even thought about a certain tall, blonde man they both knew.

Buffy rolled her eyes and waited for the wild child to join her. "When are you two just going to get together already?"

Faith smiled and grabbed a handful of Buffy's chips. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Uh huh. Sure you don't. You all practically mate on the dance floor, make googley eyes at each other anytime you're together, flirt unconditionally... must I go on?"

Faith rolled her eyes. "Please don't."

Buffy laughed. "So?"

Faith threw another handful of chips in and shrugged. "We're seeing what happens. But let me tell you, I better be seeing that man's naked body and soon before my own decides to explode!"

OoOoO

Graham had a similar look on his face as he made it back to his own room, though he had no one to share it with or tease him about. Instead he was alone, undressing as he went through his place, grabbing up a cup of water and a piece of pie the girls had given him days before that he just hadn't gotten around to.

By the first bite he was both wishing he had earlier and grateful it was here now.

That was a little tid bit he had never know before about the girl known to the world as Buffy Summers, of how great of a cook she was. But he knew now and was thankful for it.

Rubbing his eyes, Graham picked up his phone to call his client and lie about not knowing where the former blonde was. Once again, not a word being shared that he knew Beth and Buffy were one in the same and he knew exactly where she was and where she had been.

After the call, he went to wash his plate, smiling as he thought about the other dark haired woman in the mix of all of this. It sure hadn't been in his plans and possibly not in his best interest to be head over heels for her, but what could he really do?