1 Week Later
Townhouse
Bedroom
Staring at herself in the mirror, Buffy ran her hands flat over the front of her long blue, strapless chiffon dress. Her hand then ran over her hair, which was tied back in a neat but loose bun.
She reached out for her lipgloss and opened the cap when Angelus entered the bedroom from the bathroom tucking his white button-down shirt into his black trousers.
Standing behind Buffy, he fixed the front buttons of the shirt and looked at himself in the mirror. He then picked up the black tie placed near Buffy's jewellery box and placed it around his neck.
"You look beautiful." He whispered and kissed her bare tanned shoulder.
"Are you sure you like this? Is it too dressy?" Buffy frowned looking down at flowing dress. She hunted for what she thought was the perfect dress for days. Never having been to a 'victory dinner' with the law firm, Buffy didn't have a clue what to wear nor what to expect from the night. Angelus was less then forefront about the evening. All she could get out of him was the 'victory dinner' was a black-tie event.
Angelus paused from tying the tie and held his hands around her upper arms. His arms went around her waist and the point of his chin rested on her shoulder. He looked at her in the mirror and wolfishly smiled. "No, you don't look too dressy—" he saw her protest and said quickly, "—or trashy. Just the opposite… I love you in this dress."
Buffy smiled softly and turned to face him in his arms. "You love me in any dress." She ran her hands flat over his chest and held the loosely tied tie.
"That's true," he ran his hands up and down her bare arms. "Then again, I really love you with no dress."
She tightened the knot around his neck and lifted her eyes to his. "I love you."
Angelus took her left hand and brought it to his lips, kissing the Claddagh that sat there. "I would marry you now if I could." He pulled her closer and began nip at her neck with his lips.
With a widening grin, Buffy let out a laugh, "But then we'd be late to your dinner-thing."
He lifted his head and leaned forward, inches from her mouth, "Meh, I find you much more entertaining."
Buffy opened her eyes and grinned, "I bet you do." She closed the small space kissing his lips tenderly.
Days Before
Living Room
Dawn sat on the couch, which suddenly seemed to swallow her. Her feet hung haplessly off of the edge. She stared at Buffy and Angelus, sitting on the rustic wooden coffee table in front of her.
She tossed her blue eyes between the pair, knowing full well that something strange was happening. She just didn't know what.
"So…" Buffy began, "… um, well, Dawnie… we have something to tell you."
She reached for Angelus' hand and gave it a squeeze then continued, "Angel and I…" Dawn waited patiently for her mother to finish, "… we're getting married."
Dawn did not respond.
"And what that means is…" Buffy tried to find a way to explain its significance to Dawn. She knew the seven-year-old loved Angelus but having him permanently in their family was something Buffy wished she discussed more with her. "Is that Angel will be apart of this family… for good."
"I thought he already was." Dawn frowned, breaking her silence.
Buffy nodded, "He was—he is but now… Getting married is something special. We're gonna be a different kind of family... a 'blended family.'"
Dawn shifted her gaze from Buffy to Angelus. "Are going to be my dad—dad now?"
Angelus sat forward, resting his elbows on his knees and said, "I'm never going to be your real father, but that doesn't mean I don't love you any less. If anything, I love you as if you were my own and that won't ever change."
"Are you gonna have babies?" Dawn asked, surprising Buffy and Angelus where they sat.
Buffy's mouth bobbed up and down, unsure how to reply to that question.
Luckily, Angelus took her hand, immediately calming her down and said, "Eventually, that would be something we'd like to have. Would you be okay with having a brother or a sister?"
Dawn sat quietly for a moment, trying to wrap her mind around the possibilities that came with her mother and Angelus getting married. She shrugged then asked, "Do I still get my own room?"
Sharing a smile with Angelus, Buffy nodded, "Sure, yes, you can still have your own room."
"Okay," Dawn said with a nod. "When are you getting married?"
Looking at one another, Buffy and Angelus hadn't even thought that far ahead yet.
"Um… well… soon… Maybe in a few months. We haven't really discussed that just yet. We wanted to tell you first before we made plans."
Dawn nodded and reached to her left for the 'spy notebook' that sat beside her and started to get off of the couch. "Can I go play outside now?"
"Y—yes," Buffy said, bewildered by her daughter's reaction to the news. She wasn't sure what she was expecting from Dawn. She didn't seem upset or surprised by the news. Dawn seemed like… Dawn.
Angelus watched the girl tuck her notebook between her shirt and belt. She stepped up, between Angelus' knees and wrapped her arms around his neck, giving him a tight hug. "I love you, Daidí (Dad)."
Kissing the side of her head, Angelus returned her tight hug with a growing smile, "I love you, too, Ceann beag (little one)."
Buffy felt a sense of relief wash over her, watching Dawn's gesture of affection. She could feel Angelus' happiness radiate off of his body. She ran a hand down the line of his back then combed her fingers through Dawn's dark hair.
Present-Day
The Aurora
The renovated former three-floor warehouse factory was filled with Wolfram & Hart's great attorney's, spouses, and other employees celebrating the five hundred million dollar victory.
Angelus decided to throw his victors a celebration worthy of his champions and he wanted an excuse to show off his fiancée to the world.
He moved around the rooftop holding two champagne glasses making his way back over to Buffy, who was standing near the ledge looking out to the sweeping view of Los Angeles.
He stood behind her and held the glass in front of her to take. His mouth went to her bare shoulder and held a gentle hand at her lower back.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" Angelus whispered into her ear.
Buffy smiled and sipped the champagne tearing her eyes from the cityscape. "The party is a hit."
"It's always a hit." He kissed her shoulder. "No one wants to disappointment me with not attending. I'll have you know Miss Summers, I happen to be a very intimidating figure around here."
Buffy pinched her brows together and played along, "Don't I know it. You have fangs for teeth 'cause you're just so scary."
With a chuckle, Angelus stepped closer to her and nuzzled his nose against hers, "Well, if I have fangs than what do you have?"
"A stake."
Angelus chuckled, "A stake? You're the Vampire Slayer?"
Buffy grinned, "Hm-hmm, that's me, the 'Chosen One.'"
They kissed, completely oblivious to the room watching them with keen interest. The onlookers stared with shock at the openness of couples affections. No one had ever seen their boss like this before. He was pleasant and smiling, granted it was generally only to the gorgeous blonde on his arm but nonetheless, it was a strange sight to behold.
"Mr O'Connor,"
Angelus and Buffy broke apart turning to the deep husky voice interrupting the intimate moment between the pair.
Standing tall with stoic confidence, Angelus proudly raised his chin. "Mr Murrow," he said, holding his hand behind his back. "Buffy," Angelus began, "this is Linwood Murrow the president of my Special Projects Division."
Buffy shyly smiled.
"Mr Murrow, this is Buffy Summers, my fiancée." He lovingly looked down at Buffy.
Linwood appeared surprised by the news. "Fiancée, you say?" He had known Angelus since his grandfather ran the law firm and never once had he seen the young, intelligent, and capable man make any efforts to settle down. "It's nice to meet you, Miss Summers." He held out his hand for Buffy to take.
Buffy accepted his polite handshake.
Linwood smiled, "I'm sorry to do this to you, Miss Summers, but I have to pull your fiancé away briefly."
Angelus looked down at Buffy, wanting her to say that she couldn't spend a minute without him at her side but instead, she nodded and said with a bit of coyness, "Don't keep him for too long."
"Believe me, we won't be long," Angelus whispered into her ear and kissed her cheek.
Angelus looked back at Buffy as he walked away with Linwood, heading towards another group of stuffy middle-aged men wearing designer suits.
Now standing by herself, Buffy turned her gaze back to the nighttime cityscape. She's lived in Los Angeles for some time now and never had she truly noticed its beauty, especially in the night. There was something magnificent with the lights of the skyscrapers shining brightly in contrast to the starless backdrop.
"Do you remember the times we used to pack up the Wrangler and go to the beach in Santa Monica and stay up all night, staring up at the stars?"
A softy cool shiver shimmed down her spine feeling Lindsey's breath touch her ear.
She softly smiled, easily remembering the sleepless nights on the beach dreaming about their future together. Throughout the years, Buffy had tried desperately to push those memories from her mind, finding them too painful.
She really did love Lindsey. He was truly her first real relationship. But when the time came for him to show his love for her by supporting her, being there for their daughter, he stalled and put his original dreams before them. Buffy didn't know how to deal with a broken heart but she did with a child in her arms.
It took her awhile to fall out of love with him. When Riley came along, she desperately latched onto him, despite never feeling love for him. She just wanted to clog the missing hole Lindsey created when he left her and Dawn for the second time.
Buffy was not as good at masquerading her feelings as much as she thought she was. Riley knew. Every time Lindsey entered the room, he could see the longing look in her eyes. He knew she wished that she was with Lindsey and they were the family, she always thought they would be.
For so long, when Buffy looked into the future, she saw Lindsey, confident that eventually, he'll commit to them completely without the ambitions of a job hanging over his head. That he'd put them first and foremost.
All of that changed and shifted when she met Angelus. The love she felt for the dark haired man was bigger and so different than the love she had for Lindsey. Her love for Angelus went far and beyond to something profound. It was a love she never felt before.
Now, Lindsey understood perfectly how Riley must've felt. When Angelus entered the room, Buffy only saw him and the look in her eyes was of adoring love.
"I remember," Buffy softly said. "We always left just before sunrise in order to beat the LA traffic and to get to our first class. You refused to play hooky with me."
With a chuckle, Lindsey replied, "Well, we did leave on a Friday and rushed back on a Monday. I call that tactical planning, Summers."
Shaking her head, Buffy released a smile.
Lindsey smirked and held out his hand to her, "Dance with me?"
Raising her eyes to his face, Buffy narrowly looked at him with a growing smile and took his offered hand.
Lindsey led them out to the dance floor and placed his free hand on her lower back.
Buffy held his elbow and lifted her eyes to his face when the soft notes from the live band at the corner of the room stood.
The pianist twinkled his fingers lightly over the piano notes when an attractive woman stepped to the microphone. She wore a beautiful dark blue dress, that fell to her feet and a white gardenia in her black hair. She opened her mouth and softly sang:
"There's a saying old,
Says that love is blind,
Still, we're often told,
'Seek and ye shall find,'
So I'm going to seek,
A certain lad,
I've had in mind,"
Slowly, Buffy and Lindsey swayed to the music.
Standing with his high positioned employees in a small meeting, Angelus did a double take seeing Buffy on the dance floor with Lindsey. Angelus no longer heard a thing that was being said, his attention was specifically on Buffy and Lindsey. He felt his heart begin to race, hating the sight of his Buffy held by another man.
"This is nice," Lindsey began, "I miss dancing with you."
Buffy did not respond, only gave him a soft half-smile.
Lindsey sighed heavily, "More than anything, I want to be with you—"
"—Linds…"
"I know," he nodded, "you're with someone else. I'm with someone else." Lindsey let out a sarcastic laugh, "Our timing was always something to be desired. We were always in two different places."
Buffy agreed, "One of us was always three steps ahead or three steps back."
"It was never you though," Lindsey admitted with defeat. "You rearranged everything, while I… I'm sorry."
"I know."
Angelus watched the interaction between the once lovers with keen interest, desperate to hear their conversation which appeared intimate.
"There's a somebody,
I'm longin' to see,
I hope that he turns,
Out to be,
Someone to watch over me,"
Lindsey shook his head, "I should've been there but I took too long. I could never blame you for not waiting. I should've been everything you needed me to be when you needed me the most."
"Yeah, you should've but you're here now and I still need you." She told him gently. "Dawn needs her father. She loves you so much."
"What about you?" He asked, catching the heartsick look on her face and painfully smiled, "I know, you have Angel now and I have… Eve."
Buffy nodded, shifting her eyes away from, gaining the courage to tell Lindsey. "Linds,"
He looked at her with a look of hope in his blue eyes.
"Angel and I… are getting married."
Lindsey's felt like his heart stopped in his chest. All of his hopes and dreams began to vanish right before his eyes.
"He proposed to me a few days ago."
"Does Dawn—"
"—Yes, we've already told her."
Lindsey gave her hand a gentle squeeze, noticing for the first time the elegant, yet somewhat plain silver ring sitting on her ring finger of her left hand. It was a simple ring he did not expect Angelus to choose but it somehow worked perfectly for Buffy.
He clenched his jaw, "I was an idiot for not fighting for you—both of you. I had every chance in the world… I had your love, our dreams, and I threw it back in your face—twice." He took a deep breath, "And now you're getting married." He paused for a moment reminding himself that despite Buffy marrying Angelus, Dawn would always be his daughter. That at one time, before he screwed everything up, Buffy loved him and he'll forever love her. "Dawnie was the best thing we ever did."
"That's very true," Buffy agreed.
"She's a good girl."
With a nod, Buffy said, "She is."
"She's not a pain."
"Wait until she starts dating," Buffy teasingly said.
The ex-couple shared a brief laugh at the soon future of their little girl becoming a teenager.
From afar, Angelus watched as Lindsey stood straight, towering over Buffy. His hand went to her cheek, cupping the side of her face. Angelus felt jealousy rise in his chest seeing the look in Lindsey's eyes as he looked down at Buffy.
Buffy held her hand around his wrist understanding the emotions mixed in his eyes. Silently, she gave him a small nod.
Lindsey leaned forward as if he was going to kiss Buffy, he stalled inches from her lips before dropping his hand and took a step away.
Angelus saw his opportunity. Wordlessly, he walked away from the group chatting around him and went to Buffy on the dance floor.
He placed his hand on her lower back and stepped in front of her, blocking her view of Lindsey walking back towards Eve.
Angelus took her hand and held her close to his body.
"What was that all about?" Angelus asked, poorly masking his jealousy.
Buffy lifted her eyes to his and caressed the backs of her fingers down his cheek, "I love you and I can't wait to marry you."
Pushing all thoughts of his obvious jealousy towards Lindsey from his mind, Angelus held her even closer to his chest. He smiled down at her and said, "The night's still young, we can get married tonight if you want."
"I want," she grinned, "more than anything I want... but I also want Dawn with us and my mom."
Angelus took their conjoined hands and held her chin. He lowered his head and lightly brushed his lips against hers. "Tomorrow then," he teased.
"Tomorrow sounds of the good." Her smile widened and accepted his kiss when he closed the small space between their mouths.
Song Used: "Someone To Watch Over Me" by Ella Fitzgerald, 1950
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