Chapter Twenty One
Buffy walked through Central Park twirling her wooden stake, waiting on the final rays of sunlight to disappear behind the horizon. As shadows began to creep over the freshly green grass, Buffy headed toward the wooded part of the park. If any vampires were to start their nightly rounds, then that would be where they could be found.
Buffy heard a crunching sound as she stepped through the bushes, and she quickly leaped up on the branches of a tree. Quietly, she watched a young man walk through the bushes heading towards the open end of the park. Buffy observed the man's clothing, which consisted of a Hawaiian shirt and polyester jacket, smiling to herself. You'd think that they'd eventually gain some kind of fashion sense, Buffy thought and dropped from her perch to the ground below.
"Hi," Buffy said as she stood. Without missing a step, Buffy swung and punched the vamp square in the jaw, flipping him over as she did so. He stood, and changed his face, before attacking Buffy. Buffy ducked, and landed another punch to her attacker's face. He, in turn, kicked Buffy in the stomach forcing her back.
"Oh, good," Buffy quipped, "I needed a workout."
She ran at the vampire and launched her self at him, her feet in front of her. She hit her mark, and then spun around, landing a kick to his face. The vampire was able to get in a few lucky punches to Buffy's face also, but nothing compared to the damage Buffy was causing.
Finally having her fill, Buffy lifted her leg and brought her boot's heel against the vampire's neck, who was trying to stand, his arms collapsing under the force. Buffy then brought out her stake, and forced it squarely in to the Vampire's back, right in the heart. Buffy brought her stake up, and the vampire became dust.
"I just love Spring," Buffy returned the stake to it's place in the small of her back, and made her way to Angel's.
Once inside Angel's office, she collapsed in the chair across from him.
"Rough day at the office," Angel inquired, not looking up from his copy of Edgar Allan Poe's Short Stories.
"Just had a good workout is all," Buffy said placing her boots on the corner of Angel's desk. "By the way, that vamp that was stalking the elderly Mrs. Reynolds, is dust."
"That's good, Buffy." Angel sat up and removed Buffy's shoes from the desk. "Thank you."
"Sorry," Buffy said as she flung them over the arm of the chair instead. "So how's good Ol' Poe? Still dark, dank and dreary?"
"Something like that," Angel said, placing his book mark in the book and closing it. "So how's Brian doing?"
"He's okay I guess," Buffy said looking up at the ceiling. "It's been almost four months now, and he hasn't had a relapse." Buffy shivered, as she tried to forget that incident in mid- February when Brian had a bad reaction to the drugs. The doctor's downed the dosage, and he seemed to be responding.
"Dr. Preston, say that it looks like the tumors are starting to shrink."
"Well, that's good news," Angel stood and walked over to where two baskets stood on top the file cabinets. One was blue, and held all cases that dealt with your basic P.I. stuff; cheating husbands, embezzlement, stolen or missing property. The purple held all cases pertaining to the underworld; Demons, Vampires, forces of darkness. General Slayer stuff.
Angel grabbed a file from the purple one and opening it, walked back to his desk.
"So, you said that you took care of Mrs. Reynolds stalker?"
"Yep," Buffy announced proudly, "He's dust in the wind." Angel made a notation in the folder, closed it, and took out another book while handing Buffy the file.
"Put this away for me?" Angel asked as he wrote in the other book. Buffy sat up and took the file.
"Sure," she replied, walking over to the file cabinet and pulled out one of the drawers. Buffy placed the file under "R", and returned to her seat. Angel closed the book and looked to Buffy.
"It looks like we got ourselves a good little business going." Angel looked over at Buffy.
"Yeah, it does. It helps to have a Slayer on the team, huh?"
Angel gave Buffy a smirk.
"Oh," Buffy said swinging her legs back around in front of her. "Brian wanted me to ask if you wanted to come to dinner tonight? Say about eight?"
"Is he making Stroganoff?" Angel asked hopefully.
"Yep," Buffy smiled at her Angel.
"I'll be there at seven." Buffy laughed.
Brian and Angel had become good friends over the past few months. It was almost like they were brothers. Of course, Xander was less than thrilled that Angel had become more involved in Buffy's life. But at least he had kept his mouth shut about that night at Angel's apartment. That's not to say that Buffy and Angel didn't have their fair share of smoochies.
On the contrary, on the nights that Brian stayed overnight at the hospital, Buffy stayed at Angel's. Yeah, okay, so it gave them an excuse to sneak kisses, but it also made Buffy fell better, being around Angel. That, and it was close to the hospital.
But it felt weird too. Brian and Angel had become so brotherly, that it was like she was married to one brother, while in love with the other. Can you say "Young and the Restless"? Buffy stood from her chair and grabbed her coat.
"I should probably get home," Buffy said as she pulled the coat over her shoulders, "Brian will be expecting me soon."
"Here, let me escort you out." Angel stood and walked with Buffy to the door.
"You don't have to, you know." Angel nodded.
"Yeah, but then I couldn't do this," Angel leaned down and pressed a kiss to Buffy's lips. Buffy smiled and wrapped her arms around Angel, savoring their stolen kiss.
"I'll see you later?" Buffy asked , her emerald eyes gleaming, as she opened the door to Angel's office.
"Always," Angel told her, his own lustful eyes, reflecting the hidden meaning.
"Always," Buffy said as she closed the door behind her.
888
The doorbell rang promptly at seven. Buffy yelled to Brian as she came downstairs, "I'll get it!"
Buffy walked to the front door, and opened it to find Angel. He was dressed in black slacks, a dark brown sweater, and his leather jacket.
"You look nice," Buffy said as Angel walked through the door. "But you didn't have to dress up. It's just casual."
"Yeah, I know," Angel said as he placed his hands in his pockets. "But I wanted to."
Buffy gave Angel warning glance as Brian walked in from the kitchen.
"Welcome Angel," Brian flipped a towel over his shoulder, extending a hand to the former vampire. "I'm glad you made it!"
"And miss your stroganoff?" Angel joked, "Not a chance!"
"Good! Well, come on and sit down," Brian wrapped a shoulder around Angel and led him to the couch.
"Buffy, honey would go get us a drink?" Brian asked sitting across from Angel in his recliner.
"Sure," Buffy answered walking towards the kitchen.
"So, how's business?" Brian asked Angel.
"It's going really well," Angel nodded. "Buffy's help has been indispensable."
"I never figured Buffy for secretarial work," Brian watched Buffy walk back in from the kitchen, with a tray of drinks.
"Yeah, she's full of surprises," Angel glanced seductively at Buffy as she handed Angel his Diet Coke.
"And you," she offered her husband his Pepsi.
"Buffy, what did you do to your face?" Brian reached up and touched the purple bruise Buffy had received as a result of her Vamp fight. Buffy quickly covered the mark with her hand telling Brian, "Oh, that. Don't worry about it. I just slammed the door into my face at work today, that's all."
Brian gave Buffy a sideways look. "You sure have been getting a lot of bruises lately."
"I can't help it if someone accidentally opens a door on me, right Angel?" Buffy looked at Angel in mock anger, and hoped he would cover her.
"Hey, I didn't know you were on the other side, or I swear, I would have been more careful." Angel caught the look on Buffy's face and picked up the slack. Angel looked back at Brian.
"She can be so clumsy," He joked, and Buffy slapped his shoulder. Brian smiled as he took a drink.
"You know, Dawn is supposed to come here for the Summer," Buffy said changing the subject fast.
"Really?" Angel took a sip from his glass, " I bet you guys are looking forward to that."
"It will be nice to have family around again," Buffy said, sitting on the arm of Brain's chair. It was obvious to everyone how much she missed her little sister.
"It will be great to have everyone here, and not have it be because I'm in the hospital again," Brian smiled and grabbed Buffy's hand. She smiled back, almost sadly, and glanced at Angel.
He smiled back at her, a seductively comforting smile playing across his lips. Buffy looked back, a similar look on her face, as well. Buffy's nose then caught a whiff of something in the kitchen.
"Uh, dear," she looked down to her husband, "I think it's time to add the pasta."
Brian looked up at Buffy who tilted her head towards the kitchen.
"Oh, you're right," Brian stood and excused himself. "Excuse me, dinner calls me."
Angel smiled and Buffy took Brian's place in the recliner.
"How long do you plan on lying to him?" Angel looked Buffy in the eye.
"Forever, if I have to. He can't know about Slaying!"
"You almost sound like you don't want him to know who we were, what we did," Angel said looking down at the coffee table.
"Angel, I could never be ashamed of what we did," Buffy defended.
"No, you're just ashamed of what I was," Angel continued to stare at the table. "I don't blame you. I am."
Buffy glanced towards the kitchen, before kneeling before Angel.
"Angel look at me," she ordered, touching Angel's face. "Angel," Buffy softly brought Angel's face to her eye level.
"I am not ashamed of who or what you are. If you remember correctly, didn't I kiss you while you were in Vamp face?" Angel nodded. "See? I fell in love with not just you, the man, but what you were. Although, Angelus was an unwelcome addition." Buffy made a face at the last comment. Angel's face broke into a weak smile, making Buffy smile in return.
"So you see? I fell in love with the Vampire too." Buffy took Angel's face in her hands and touched her forehead to his.
"And I will always love them both," she whispered before standing. "I'm going to set the table. Care to assist?" Buffy held out her hand, and it took Angel a minute, before he took it and followed Buffy into the dining room.
End Chapter
A/N: Yeah I know another short one! But the next one will be longer! Anyway, my sister is doing better, and I will update ASAP, but don't forget to Read & Review!! They keep me writing!