Chapter Twenty-Eight : The Aftermath

Buffy stood over Brian's grave in full fighting stance, watching as the remaining ashes of what was once her husband fall to the ground. Angel finished dusting himself off, and walked over to where Buffy stood.

"Man, now I have to buy a new suit!" Buffy ignored Angel's remark, and continued to stare at the headstone. Angel stood beside her, noting that she still held the stake in her hand, still ready to fight.

"Buffy?" Angel asked, placing a hand on her shoulder. Buffy didn't respond, but the stake dropped from her hand, and she feel to her knees. Her arms remained at her sides, as she stared blankly at Brian's grave. Angel said nothing, placing his hands in the pockets of his coat. He watched and waited. He knew Buffy was about to explode. As if on cue, Buffy threw her fists into the mound of dirt and began to throw dirt to either side.

"You bastard!" She screamed, pounding the dirt. "You killed him! YOU KILLED HIM!" Angel remained silent, knowing she was screaming at no one in particular. Well, actually she was creaming at Jasper, and she had every right to. And if Angel ever came face to face the man who tried to break Buffy, he would rip him a new one. Buffy continued to throw her fists into the ground, cursing the powers and whoever else she could think of.

Finally, Buffy placed her arms over the ground, and began to cry. Angel walked over and knelt down beside her, rubbing his hands up and down her back as she sobbed. The peaceful moment was shattered however, by the sounds of clapping hands.

"How touching," said a leather clad man, with a slight foreign accent. "I think I might just have to shed a tear."

Angel turned, and Buffy raised her head, both looking at the tall, thin looking man with pitch black hair, and gothic clothing. Buffy looked at the man, a cautious look in her eye, while Angel's would glow gold if he still had demon blood in him.

"Who the hell are you?" Buffy asked, feeling her Spidey-Sense go off, telling her the intruder was a vamp.

"Oh, I'm hurt," the man clutched his chest as he acted insulted. "I thought you would have known who I am by now. Especially you, Angelus."

"Get away from her, Jasper," Angel warned, trying his best to control his temper.

"Or what, Angelus? You'll stake me?" Jasper laughed as he stepped closer. "Your human now, Angelus. Or what is it you go by now; Angel right? You're one of them now. A pathetic, weakling human."

"I might just surprise you," Angel tilted his head, as he spoke through gritted teeth.

"So you're Jasper," Buffy finally said, moving to sit on her knees, before she stood up. She looked the Assassin up and down, crossing her arms before she said, "So this Marilyn Manson wannabe, is the big bad assassin that's been trying to kill us?"
"Don't let him fool you, Buffy," Angel said placing a hand behind him, blocking Buffy's path. "He's more lethal that you realize."
"Yeah, and it also helps that I have a legion of followers. You might know one of them Angel. Does the name Amber, ring a bell?" Jasper's smile grew wider as Angel thought back.

"Angel, she's the one that you killed at your hotel room," Buffy whispered to Angel, not taking her eyes off Jasper. Angel nodded as he understood. Amber had been the woman he had tried to move on with. Angel had fallen for her quickly, which surprised him. And it made it hurt worse when he plunged the stake in her back as she tried to leave his room.

"Yes," Jasper confirmed as he dug into his pocket and placed a cigarette on his lip, before lighting it. "And you, little Slayer, killed the friend she was with. They were both my agents." Jasper took a puff from the cigarette, and came closer.

"It's a shame they couldn't accomplish one, single, little bitty thing. But then again, I should have known that this was going to be a one on one assignment."
Jasper exhaled, blowing the smoke back at Angel's face.

"And how's that?" Buffy asked, hating the man more every second.

"Miss a chance to fight the great Angelus and his Slayer lover? I don't think so." Jasper placed the cigarette back on his lip and began to take a step back, swinging his arms out to either side. Buffy's eyes narrowed, and Angel's blood began to boil faster, at the tone in Jasper's voice.

"Come on. Who's first?" Jasper grinned evilly, motioning with his hands for the fight to begin.

"Buffy, NO!" Angel yelled as he watched Buffy push past Angel and lunge at Jasper. She knocked him over, but he was able to flip her over and send her flying towards a tree. Buffy's back made contact with the rugged bark of the tree, and she fell to the ground unconscious. Jasper rose from his place on the ground, and turned to look at Buffy before looking at Angel, his cigarette still where he left it.

"Is that all she's got?" he thumbed behind him, talking to Angel. "I would have expected better from Angelus' pet."
"That's not going to work with me Jasper," Angel said sternly. "And you know it."
"Do I? I mean after all, you were the one who ran off and left us over a hundred years ago!" Jasper walked forward and began to circle Angel, careful not to get within striking distance.

"Whatever Darla may have told you, I can assure you, she was lying."
"Darla? Lying? Now why do I find that so very hard to believe, Sire." Angel eyes narrowed at the reference.

"Believe me, Jasper," Angel told his childe, "If I could go back and do things differently, I would."

"What? And miss out on all the fun?" Jasper took a puff from his cigarette. "I find that the past two centuries have been a thrilling ride through history. Wars, famine, Revolutions. All perfect opportunities for a former, albeit French, Assassin. I was even approached by Rasputin to take care of a certain Czar."
"And you didn't?" Angel asked, watching for any chance to strike.

"Nope," Jasper exhaled another puff. " I found that I had a much more interesting prize; a vampire with a soul."

"Why me? Why am I such a prize?"
"Why because, oh, wondrous master, it's not everyday a vampire goes looking for humanity."

"I never asked to have a soul," Angel told his protégé. "It was forced upon me."
"Well, you really must have to come to enjoy that soul, because you managed to rid the demon part of you." Jasper exhaled in Angel's face again, before dropping the butt on the ground and snuffing it.

"You would never understand, Jasper."
"Oh, I think I do," Jasper cocked his head, motioning to the unconscious form on the ground just a few feet away.

"You wanted so desperately to be with that human, you found a way out. But there's just one little problem with that scenario, Angelus, old boy."
"And what's that," Angel was really beginning to have enough of this conversation.

"No matter how much humanity you have in you, I know, and you know it too, that the demon is always there, in the back of your mind. HE never goes away, Angelus. He never goes away."
"We'll see about that," Angel said taking a swing at Jasper.

Jasper ducked and missed the hit. Jasper, took his shot and swung back, making contact with Angel's cheek. Angel could feel the bone crack, as the force flung him to the ground.

"Gee, you're not making this as fun as I had hoped," Jasper said, a fake pout on his face. Jasper brought his foot back and thrust it forward, making contact with Angel's stomach. Angel groaned as he fell face down, grabbing his stomach.

"Sorry, to disappoint," Angel moaned as Jasper tilted his head.

"You don't disappoint," he told Angel, "You just disgust." Jasper leaned down and punched Angel's cheek again, grazing his nose. Angel lay on the ground, spitting blood while Jasper continued his taunts.

"You know, it's a shame it's over so quickly. I had hoped to maybe torture you a little, like you taught me to." Jasper reached into his pocket and pulled a long dagger from its sheath.

"Oh, well," Jasper said as he brought the blade down towards Angel's shoulder. Angel spun around quickly, catching the blade mere inches from his chest.

"What the…?" Jasper said, stunned.

"I told you. I'm full of surprises," Angel said before he freed one hand and punched Jasper, sending him rolling. Angel rolled and stood, wiping the blood from his face. He walked over to where Jasper was beginning to stand, and grabbed him from behind.

"Didn't I ever teach you not to talk so much?" Angel said as he held his protégé around the neck.

Jasper moved quickly, and Angel felt a stinging pain in his side. Angel gritted his teeth and was forced to release his grip on Jasper. Angel looked at his side, a small circle of blood showing through his shirt. He looked up at Jasper, who wore a huge smile, twirling a small switchblade in his hand. Angel only smiled back, as he saw what was about to happen. He didn't say a word, just watched as Jasper's face changed from smiling, to one of pain, as he began to fall. . Jasper whipped around behind him to see Buffy, a little wobbly from Jasper throwing her, but a smile forming on her own face.

Instantly, Jasper flung his arm out and knocked Buffy to the side, pulling out the stake from his back.

"You missed the heart, sweetheart," Jasper said looking at Buffy, then Angel. "But don't worry, this ain't over….Yet." Jasper then turned and ran from the scene, clutching his side as he did so.

Buffy stood and made a movement to go after him, but Angel's moaning in pain stopped her in her tracks. Turning back around, she saw Angel falling to the ground against a tree, his once crisp white shirt turning red.

"Oh my god," Buffy said as he rushed over in her pencil skirt towards Angel's side. Kneeling, she carefully helped Angel remove his suit jacket. Angel's face became twisted as the pain grew more intense.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Buffy said, tossing the jacket beside her.

"Don't worry about it, Buffy," Angel grunted as he moved so Buffy could see the wound. Buffy pulled the shirt loose from his waist, and lifted it up to see. There, in the middle of Angel's side, was a small stab wound.

"I don't think he got anything too serious," Buffy told Angel, as she placed the shirt back down. "But we should get you someplace where we can get you cleaned up."

"Your place is closer," moaned Angel as Buffy helped him up.

"Yeah, but some of Brian's family might still be lingering. And I'm not really sure I'm up for trying to explain a graveyard brawl."
Angel nodded his head, "Then, I guess we limp back to my place."

Buffy helped Angel through the door of his apartment and into his bedroom. Carefully, she sat Angel on the bed and began to help him undress. Peeling back the shirt, Buffy tipped the lamp shade and was able to get a better look at his injuries.

"It still looks bad," Buffy said, examining the wound. "We need to clean it before I can do anything else to it."
"The first aid kit is in the bathroom," Angel groaned, standing. Buffy carefully held his arm, as he limped into the bathroom. Flipping down the seat, Angel pointed to the cabinet to his left, and Buffy saw a green tackle box, filled with medical supplies.

"Thinking of starting a triage?" Buffy joked as she pulled out what she needed.

"Just prepared," Angel answered leaning his head against the wall. Buffy kneeled in front of him, and unscrewed the cap on the alcohol.

"This is probably gonna hurt like hell," Buffy said, uncertainty in her voice.
"Probably!?" Angel raised an eyebrow. " Try definitely." Angel smiled at Buffy and Buffy smiled back, pouring the alcohol over the wound. Angel screamed as the once dulling pain returned with full force. Buffy closed her eyes at the sound of Angel's scream. How she hated it when he was hurting. She waited for Angel to catch his breath, before covering the wound again. Angel bit his lip this time, but not enough to draw blood.

"There, that should do it," Buffy said as she dabbed the wound with a piece of gauze. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be," Angel looked at Buffy. "You can't help it if alcohol stings." Buffy smiled at Angel. "How's the wound look?"
"It looks better," Buffy said surprised. "I guess those healing powers are really working."

"One of the perks of my job," Angel joked, before the pain stopped him. "But so is the pain."

Buffy turned and retrieved more supplies from the kit. She then began to make a bandage for Angel's back. She squeezed some ointment on the gauze, and peeled away the adhesive strips.

"It might begin to hurt more," she looked Angel in the eye, "when I place this bandage on the wound."
Angel nodded his head once, and Buffy moved in. She placed the bandage over the wound, ignoring Angel's grunting in pain as she pressed the adhesive firmly against his skin.

"There, that should stay." Buffy said turning to put away the medical supplies. Angel looked down at his side and saw the bandage Buffy had put there. He raised his head and watched Buffy place the tackle box back on its shelf and close the cabinet.

"Are you heading home right away?" Angel asked, a tinge a sorrow in his voice.

"I –I hadn't really thought about it," Buffy said, moving to pick up Angel's blood stained shirt. "It never crossed my mind to go back home."

Buffy turned and exited the bathroom, grabbing Angel's jacket from the bed.

"Why don't you stay the night here," Angel offered, as he followed Buffy out of the bathroom. "You could go back in the morning."
"Oh, I don't know Angel," Buffy answered, feeling suddenly nervous. "The last time I stayed the night…."

"What? You ashamed that we almost made love that night?" Buffy sat on the edge of Angel's bed.

"It's not that. It's just…I don't want… It's just so soon after Brian," Buffy told Angel spinning her wedding ring. "It doesn't feel right. The timing's off."

Angel sat down beside her on the bed. He took her hand in his, and looked Buffy in the eye.

"Buffy, you and I both know that things have been…complicated. And I think that we have done a fairly good job at keeping our emotions under control."
"We have Angel," Buffy turned towards Angel. Angel tucked a piece of Buffy's fallen hair behind her ear. Buffy tried to hold back the shudder that went through her as Angel touched her. She looked down at the floor, before looking back at Angel.

"Stay," was all Angel said, as he leaned across the bed. Buffy titled her head back, unsure if she should. Angel placed a finger on Buffy's lips, to stop her protest.

"Just one night. I'm not asking you to sleep with me," Angel told her. "Just stay the night. Just once I want to actually wake up next to you."
"But I thought we already did," Buffy sadly replied, leaning closer to Angel. "Once upon a time."

Angel remained silent, realizing just how close he and Buffy were. He knew Buffy was mourning. She had just buried (and staked) her husband for crying out loud! But Angel couldn't help it as he wrapped a hand around the back of Buffy's head, and leaned in for a kiss. Yes, it was passionate. And Angel fully expected to be shoved aside and possibly hit for what he had just done, but relaxed when he felt Buffy's hands on his cheek, supporting his face, as she moved in.

Buffy wrapped an arm around Angel's neck, and he pulled her close. As the kiss deepened, Angel leaned back against the bed, his head resting on the pillows. Angel rubbed an arm down Buffy's back, and she began to bring her hand down his side. As her hand brushed against the bandage, Angel groaned in pain, forcing Buffy to break their bond.

"Oh, god, I'm so sorry," She said, bringing her hand up. Angel managed a weak smile, as he felt the area around the wound twitch.

"No, it's okay," He said checking to make sure the bandage hadn't come off. "Hey, where are you going?" Angel watched Buffy stand form the bed and gather her coat.

"I –I –I really need to go," she said feeling incredibly flustered.

"Buffy," Angel called, rising from his bed and going after her. He actually managed to out run her to the door, placing his hand against the door, preventing Buffy from escaping. He wasn't going to keep her from leaving, but she had to hear what he had to say.

"Angel, please," Buffy said, her voice cracking.

"No. Not until you tell me why five minutes ago, you were all over me, and now you can't stand to be in the same room with me?"
"It's hard to explain," Buffy said, tears forming in her eyes. "Now, Please let me go."
Buffy pulled the door forward about an inch, before Angel leaned his weight against it, slamming it closed again.

"What is so hard to explain to me Buffy?"
"Don't," Buffy pleaded, her emotions beginning to stir into one another like one big stew.

"I think I know what it is that has you in so many knots." Angel stated, as the tears flowed down Buffy's face.

"You're afraid. And guilty." Buffy looked up at Angel. "Guilty because you feel relieved Brian is gone."
"Angel!" Buffy sunk about a feet as Angel spoke.

"You have tried so hard to convince yourself that we can only be friends, even around those who know us best, that you finally came to believe it! You and I have become really good at hiding how we truly feel. But guess what? I'm tired of hiding!

"I love you, Buffy! And I would go back to that hell hole you sent me to, if it meant I get to spend even one night with you!"

Buffy's breath hung in her throat. She had never heard Angel talk to her the way he just had. Brian loved her, no doubt. But Angel would do everything over again, allow their relationship to be put through the ringer, all for the chance that they could be together. Just once. She was truly speechless. She could see the fire in Angel's eyes. And the worry. He had basically spilled his soul before her. Now, it was up to her to figure out whether or not to pick it up off the floor, or hand it back to Angel and walk off, leaving him heart broke.

Buffy looked back towards Angel's bedroom, then back at the door.

"You have a spare shirt?" She asked.

"Huh?" Angel shook his head.

"Are you deaf? I asked if you had a spare shirt."
"Uh, yeah," Angel stood straight and walked back to the bedroom. Buffy walked with him, smiling. While Angel walked to the closet to grab a shirt, Buffy walked to the bathroom, and stood before the mirror on the back of the door. She took a long look at the woman before her.

Her stockings were torn, her hair was a mess, and her sweater was slightly ripped. Her eyes were puffy from tears and the reflection in the mirror told Buffy she had aged. And she felt older. But when she was with Angel, it was like he could take years off her. Slowly, Buffy reached up and grabbed one of her hair pins. Carefully, Buffy let her hair down. She sat down and un-strapped her shoes. She rolled the hose down her legs and threw the nylons in the trash. Buffy stood and unbuttoned her cardigan, slipping it from her shoulders. Angel opened the door and stepped in.

"I, uh, I got this shirt," he said, nervously holding out a purple shirt. "I hope this will work."
"Yeah, that should be fine," Buffy answered, as she reached around to unzip her skirt. She turned to look at Angel.
"Right, I'll just be outside," Angel said quickly leaving the room. Buffy smirked, as she tried to pull down the zipper.

"Uh, Angel?" Buffy called, hanging her head. Man, this was going to be embarrassing.
"Yeah," said Angel's voice from the other side of the door.

"Um, I think my zipper's stuck. Can you check for me? I can't see real well."

Angel stepped nervously inside and took a look where Buffy was having trouble.

"See?" Buffy wiggled the zipper. "It won't budge. I think that hit I took at the cemetery, damaged it somehow."
Angel leaned down at took a look. "Yeah it's stuck," he concluded, "hang on." Angel walked over to the tub and grabbed a bar of soap, rubbing it against the zipper.

"Cross your fingers," he said, pulling on the zipper. Buffy did as she was told, and waited.

Slowly, the zipper slid down. Buffy instantly felt her heart beat faster. Angel wasn't far behind her. Angel swallowed hard as he gently placed his hands on her shoulders.

"There," he whispered, "that fixed it."
"Thank you," Buffy whispered in response, taking a small, unnoticed, step back, pressing her back against him. Angel leaned down and nestled against her neck. Minutes passed as Angel stood there, holding her.

"Angel, I'm scared," Buffy said as she felt him wrap his arms around her.

"It's okay," Angel said, his heart besting so fast it made it hard for him to talk. "So am I."
"What if we wake up and this is was all just another dream?"
"I won't let that happen," Angel said steadfast as he kissed the mark he had left there so long ago.

Buffy spun around, placed her arms around his neck and, glancing at Angel's dark brown eyes, kissed him as if it were their last. Angel wrapped his hands around her back and slowly picked her up. Carefully, he backed out of the bathroom, and towards his bed. He stood with his legs against the side of his bed, kissing Buffy. When they came up for air, Buffy asked, "Are we sure about this?"
Angel placed a finger on her lips and said something she had told him on a rainy night, so many years ago.

"Just kiss me," Angel said, his famous smile gleaming across his face. Buffy did as she was asked, feeling her feet going out from under her, as Angel picked her up and placed her on the bed. Buffy felt her head against the soft silk of the pillows. For the rest of the night, Buffy and Angel lay in each other's arms, and finished what they had started so long ago, on her seventeenth birthday.

End Chapter

YAY! Finally! B/A togetherness!!!! LOL Was it worth the wait? Sorry, I don't do graphic bedroom scenes! I like to keep my fics as if it were something they (Joss) would actually air. As always; R&R!!!! Need five or more to continue!