Chapter 26 Be Normal
Buffy made sure Angel was asleep before she crawled out of bed. She found one of his shirts and a pair of his sweats and got dressed. She then headed downstairs to the kitchen where her two Watchers waited for her. She told them earlier that she had new information but she didn't want the rest of the group to know at least not now.
"I…I don't know what to say." Giles said as Buffy finished what the monk told her. Wes was in disbelief as well.
"Tell me about it." Buffy said while all three then looked up and to the direction of Angel's room. Angel's blood could open the Hell Mouth unleash pure evil.
"And he doesn't know?" Wes asked and Buffy shook her head no.
"He just believes he's a vampire." Buffy stated, that would be some interesting news, 'hey Angel guess what your blood will unleash hell on earth.' Not the Christmas surprise she was going for.
"Are going to tell him?" Giles asked and Buffy knew that was coming.
"How can I?" Buffy answered with a question and got up and began to pace the dining room. She wrapped her arms around herself thinking. "We just have to keep him safe." And the Watchers nodded and she sat back down again.
"This monk was he human?" Wes asked and Buffy nodded.
"So the blood has been protected and was innocent but made to believe it wasn't?" Giles asked but was confused. He took off his glasses and began to clean them.
"The monks found me Giles they found me and somehow sent him to me. All this time I thought he was protecting me but it's the other way around." Buffy looked down at her hands and to her ring Angle gave her. "I'll do what I can to protect him." Giles nodded and understood but he was still thinking.
"What about the others?" Wes asked. "We tell them?" Buffy shook her head no.
"They would act weird around him and it's safer for them, less they know the better. If this thing comes after us I know the three of us won't crack under pressure the others I'm not so sure. I trust them but it's safer if they don't know." Buffy explained and she had a valid point.
"We have to find out who Angel is, where he comes from and why whatever is coming needs him." Giles said and Wes and Buffy agreed but Buffy could already tell it was easier said than done.
"What do you mean?" Buffy asked she didn't understand. They had to find out about Angel's past.
"Well Angel," Giles began and sat down. "Angel's history is known by the underworld and the Council as probably the most evil thing out there. I mean even the Master vampire bowed to Angel before a slayer killed him." Giles paused.
"Well what do we know about Angel's human life?" Buffy asked and Wes began.
"Very little I'm afraid. We have volumes upon volumes about Angelus. What we do know is Angel was once known as Liam O'Brien that was his human name." Wes paused trying to remember his studies. "Uh he was born in Galway Ireland 1727. Rich family he had a little sister Kathy. In 1753 was when he was Sired. He got the name Angel because the night he killed his family Kathy said welcome home angel. He was later referred at as Angelus which just translates to Angel in Latin. He was called the demon with the face of an angel or the one with the angelic face for his physical beauty. But his life before 1753 is unknown." Wes finished.
"Angel won't share his life before then, I've known him for twenty years and I still don't know." Giles stated. "As much as he loves and trusts you Buffy I highly doubt you'll get information especially without him asking why." Buffy nodded, this was going to be complicated. "But now when I think about it if he was born with this blood or whatever to throw whatever is coming off his tracks making him evil would be good. This thing will look for something innocent not a vampire." So that made sense but what was Angel.
"We need to figure out his history prior to him even being born." Wes stated.
"Look up O'Brien." Buffy said.
"Buffy the name O'Brien is common and dates back," Giles was about to continue but the look in Buffy's eyes told him to stop and just do it. "Well these monks did a good job keeping him safe for so long." And the Watcher rubbed his eyes both in frustration and just being tired. "We'll see where O'Brien takes us." Giles said trying to assure her. "But Buffy this isn't going to be quick if we want to keep this a secret it's going to take time." Buffy nodded understanding.
"Also at some point everyone will find out that's just how it goes." Wes informed her and three were quiet.
"They've kept him safe for this long I think we can keep him safe a little longer." Buffy said.
"That's true they've kept it safe for over two hundred years." Wes stated. "Well how old is Angel?" Giles shrugged thinking.
"270 something give or a take a few years." Giles answered and there was a long pause but then Buffy couldn't help but laugh a little not at Angel's age but the way Giles said it and then the two Watchers let out small laughs as well. But the fact that something huge was well hidden for two centuries and not even the Council knew. "Buffy it's the holidays so enjoy it, enjoy it with Dawn and Angel."
"Yeah try to be normal we'll figure this out as it comes at us." Wes said and she nodded.
"So we'll begin with trying to find Angel's linage and see if his ancestors are part of a group ancient tribe so in the mean time try not to worry." Giles said as he stood up and Buffy looked to her Watcher and nodded.
"And how do I do that?" She asked.
Buffy stripped back down and crawled back into bed and looked down at Angel as he slept. In sleep he looked so peaceful. She smiled and then began to place little kisses on his neck. When he began to stir awake her kisses became more intense. Angel grabbed hold of her and found her lips and rolled on top of her and smiled.
Buffy woke not longer after their passionate love making session and headed back downstairs to the training room. She brought with her a little CD player and had the urge to dance. But before dancing or any training she stretched. Upstairs Angel rolled over to reach for Buffy but realized the bed was empty. He felt cold he had gotten so use to her warmth that from time to time he thought he was alive. Angel walked into the training room and saw Buffy dancing and smiled but it was the song he liked, 'Oh My Love My Darling'. It was how he felt about her even if she was gone just for a moment. He smiled as he watched her, she was perfected. Buffy had no idea she had an audience and Angel slowly made his way in. He then grabbed her waist with her back against his chest and she smiled. Soon it went from a solo to a duet and they both swayed together. Buffy loved dancing with him and she smiled as they were in perfect sync. Angel took her hand and spun her out and then back to him. They slowed dance and she smiled even bigger and looked up to his chocolate eyes, those eyes had so much love for her that at times it was overwhelming. They danced with smiled across their faces, it was a sweet moment and Buffy knew that these moments would be hard to find soon. She was completely in love with him and he was in love with her. He pulled her closer to him. It was a forbidden love and love they both knew that could be doomed but for now it was time to live in the moment. Angel spun Buffy around and they were close again. He found his purpose and in the last few months with her he loved more than most would ever know or feel in their life time. The song was ending and with a classic move Angel spun Buffy back out and the when she came back to him he bent her backwards while holding her. He was a good dancer, he was good at everything come to think of it she thought. He leaned in and kissed her and her heart pounded like always.
With no school there was plenty of training time for Buffy and she wanted Angel and her Watchers to step up her training, if something was coming she wanted to be ready. Also there was plenty of hang out time with her sister, friends and Angel. In one more semester she would graduate but she knew this was her true life and thinking about it she wouldn't want it any other way. There was only one big problem, what was she going to get Angel for Christmas.
It was the day before Christmas Eve and the last little bit of holiday shopping had to be done food included. Everyone was excited especially seeing the amount of presents under the tree. Patrol was easy, dusting a few vampires here and there. But Buffy knew it was the calm before the storm.
In the kitchen Buffy, Willow ad Cordelia were baking cookies, Christmas cookies to be exact while listening to holiday songs. Dawn was singing to some of the songs. It was Christmas Eve which meant tomorrow was the exciting day. Willow put the new baked cookies on a plate and Buffy took the plate and walked around passing the cookies.
"How many are we making?" Xander asked and Buffy shrugged.
"Until we run out of dough, frosting or any other stuff." Cordelia said and Xander nodded taking a cookie. Giles took one and smiled.
"Do I get a cookie?" Spike asked.
"No," Everyone said at once and Spiked scoffed as Buffy took her spot on Angel's lap and bit into a cookie.
"You're not going to feed him cookies and make googly eyes in front of me are you?" Spike asked and Angel and Buffy looked up at him. Buffy was getting annoyed. She grabbed a cookie from the plate walked over to Spike and shoved one into his mouth and then returned to Angel. Spike began to eat it with what limitations he had.
"Can I have one?" Riley asked and then Buffy got another one and stuck it in his mouth as well. "Oh can I actually walk around tomorrow it is Christmas." He said or at least that's what it sounded like with a cookie in his mouth.
"If I'm in the holiday spirit sure." Buffy said but that was a half of no.
Dawn woke up, it was Christmas morning and she hoped out of bed. She knew Buffy was still asleep she always slept in on Christmas morning. She walked to Angel's room and slowly opened the door hoping that they were dressed. She took a quick look inside and saw Buffy in an oversized t-shirt and sighed.
"Merry Christmas!" She screamed and Angel shot right up. He was in a deep sleep and was awoken by a shrill. He saw Dawn at the doorway with her hands up in the air and a huge smile on her face. He calmed down but noticed Buffy barely moved.
"No Dawn it's too early go back to bed." Buffy grumbled as she shifted. It was six in the morning, the sun wasn't even up. Dawn then ran into the room and crawled into the bed as Angel rubbed his eyes realizing he was awake. Dawn grabbed the sheets and covers and pulled them off of her sister. Buffy winced, she was warm and toasty and now she was cold.
"Dawn." Buffy moaned. She had been having a really good dream that involved Angel, chocolate and peanut butter and now it was ruined. "Five more minutes?" Buffy begged but she knew the answer. Angel smiled, he was quite happy to be a part of their Christmas tradition.
Everyone slowly made their way downstairs to the tree. It looked beautiful lit up and gifts all around it. They all gathered around, Dawn sitting in Angel's lap. Xander stood up, he was always Santa Clause. He put on the hat and Spike rolled his eyes as he watched. Riley was untied but if he showed anything less than good behavior he goes back into the chair. Xander began to pass around gifts to everyone. Once everyone had a few gifts they dove in.
Opening gifts took the energy out of them. Buffy laid flat out on the couch with her head on Angel's leg while Dawn sat on his other leg and her head on his shoulder. Everyone had some hot chocolate or some kind of food as they sat around. Xander was in the recliner passed out. Willow and Oz were cuddled up near the fireplace, Cordelia and Doyle sat on a couch next to one another, Gunn was on the floor near the tree sleeping, Wes and Giles sat at the coffee table reading the paper. Riley was in the kitchen by himself. Soon though they would have to make their big meal but for now it was just time to relax and enjoy the slow day of doing nothing.
Everyone re-awoken and was up and about. Buffy was back up in her room and opened the closet and reached for a wrapped gift. She smiled looking at the pretty paper. She closed the door and then jumped seeing Angel standing there. She laughed a little.
"Why are you so quiet?" She asked and he smiled. He had his hands behind his back and she knew he was hiding her gift. Whatever it was she would love it. She looked at her gift hoping he would like it. They looked at each other and laughed a little and just exchanged gifts. They sat on the bed and waited, who was going to go first and they both started at the same time. Angel unwrapped his gift and it was a book, Buffy opened hers and it was a box. Angel opened the book and in it were pictures with various decorations and sayings. It was pictures of Buffy. Baby pictures, pictures of her growing up, her senior picture, her graduation picture, her winning medals and then it went blank and he looked up at her.
"We need to fill it." She said and smiled. The book was priceless to him, it was her life for him and now they had to add to it and he was going be allowed to be a part of it. This was worth more than anything and on the first blank page was a quote one of Buffy's favorites 'We come to love not by finding a perfect person, but by learning to see an imperfect person perfectly.-Sam Keen' Angel smiled, that line summed it up he was far from perfect and yet she saw something in him that he could not see or understand. The next half of this book was for them to fill with pictures, memories good or bad. Buffy looked at the box, it was carved out of oak, Angel made it. There were engravings carved into it and on top was her full name. She hoped that some day after the name Summers it would say O'Brien or whatever name Angel used.
She ran her hand on the box feeling how smoothed it was. He took the time to make it; the box in itself was perfect. She then saw on the side a little handle but she noticed it had a lock and she no key until a key appeared before her as Angel held it. He made the lock and keys himself too. Buffy smiled and took the silver key and placed it inside the lock. Her heart was pounding; she was so excited to see what was inside. She turned the key and it clicked opened, she placed the key aside and opened the box and as it opened a small wooden girl rose up and she knew what the little handle was for so she winded up the box. The little wooden girl had blonde hair painted onto her head, dressed in a green dress begun to spin slowly to the song, she knew song too it was from Swan Lake. She smiled as the little wooden girl spun. He made her a wind up box but there was something else in the box too, another little box. She reached inside and took it out. She set down the music box which was a perfect gift and he didn't need to get her anything more. She opened the little box and in it were two diamond earrings. They weren't little diamond stud earrings no these had a diamond stud with smaller diamonds trailing down, they were real diamonds. Buffy never had real diamonds or silver before.
"I couldn't pass them up, I saw them and I said damn, they'll look good on those beautiful ears." Angel said and Buffy smiled, her gifts were perfect. She leaned in and kissed him, the kiss was soft but grew. It was a perfect Christmas so far.
The day was done and the sun began to set. Buffy sat embraced in Angel's arms as the fire burned. The whole group had to savior this as much as possible but then Dawn came running in.
"It's snowing." She said and they all locked up at her. "Like white powder snowing right now." They all got up and ran outside, she was right it was lightly snowing. Buffy has never seen snow before and she held out her hand letting the little flakes fall into her hands. Giles and Wes looked around; it was snowing in California but how. Buffy looked up as more snow fell, it wasn't heavy just light and beautiful. Giles could help but laugh a little.
"What does it mean?" Willow asked.
"Nothing," Doyle said, he had just got a vision a peaceful vision from the Powers that Be, and it was a small gift of their own to them. But he didn't say that but the way it was said they trusted him. Buffy walked around as the flakes fell and a small thin white blanket of snow begun to lay softly on the ground. Dawn kept close to her sister as they held hands. Both have never seen snow and this was exciting. Gunn smiled as the flakes fell on him and he smiled. Buffy looked up to the starry sky and it seemed brighter than normal. Dawn reached to the ground picked up some snow and looked up to the sky with her sister smiling.
"I think its mom doing it." Dawn said. Joyce always knew how much Buffy and Dawn wanted to see snow. Buffy wrapped her arm around her little sister still looking at the sky. Angel looked at the two girls, his girls; he'd die for them without a second thought. Cordelia held Doyle close as the snow fell and he kissed her head and they headed back inside to warm up. Willow, Xander and Oz were caught up in a snowball fight laughing. Wes and Giles headed back inside while Angel came up to Buffy and Dawn and wrapped both around them.
Buffy's music box played it's melody as Angel held her close. The snow was still falling slowly outside and Buffy was falling asleep in his arms. It was just perfect.
Another week went by and night was here. It was time to go to the center of town to welcome the New Year. All through the week at night little snow flurries would happen which excited the town's people and now to greet in the New Year with a little bit of snow was going to be amazing. The center of town was full people, music and food. They were at the half hour marker before ringing in the new year. When the clock strikes twelve Sunnydale always lit off fireworks and streamers would drop. Soon the half hour was gone and they were down to minutes. At the last minute people gathered around. Angel stood behind Buffy and Dawn next to her big sister. The whole group was here waiting. Then everyone at the center of town began to shout as they counted down.
Angel was never excited for the new year it just meant another year of living for forever. But now it meant another year with Buffy, another year of making peace, another year of finally being happy. Then the clock stuck midnight and everyone cheered and the fireworks went off and streamers fell. Cordelia and Doyle kissed same with Oz and Willow. Buffy turned her head and looked up to Angel and he kissed her, it was his first time ever kissing a woman while greeting the new year. They pulled apart and then the Sunnydale college choir begun to sing Auld Lang Syne and the town's people joined in. Wes and Giles were drunk with arms thrown on each other's shoulders along with Gunn and Xander joined in and they sung or at least tried to. Angel wrapped his arms around Buffy's shoulders and they swayed to the music singing the song softly to her and she smiled. Cordelia and Doyle were still kissing they would come up for air sooner or later, Oz and Willow were singing now swinging their hands like children. Dawn was singing as well while holding Buffy's hand. Angel smiled, Buffy would never know how much this meant to him and how he would never forget it and how it will get him through to whatever was coming. More fireworks went off into the sky and people cheered but this town had no idea what was in store for them even the group had no idea.
Aww just more fluff. I'm giving you fluff so you won't be too mad at me later…yeah. So there are the holidays now onward to Glory. Hope you liked it, more on the way thanks for reading. Comments and reviews are most welcomed.