Co-written by ButImBroken and Scribes 1015!

They never did make it out of bed that first night he returned home. By the time each of them were sated, they were a mess of tangled limbs, drifting off to sleep, just as glimmers of light began to filter through the curtains. The last week hadn't been much different, Angel had only made it to work twice. Though, even on the two days that he actually made it to the office, he had came up with some excuse to leave early. Managing to be back home, and inside of her before noon.

The second day he had attempted to work a full day and failed, they hadn't even made it upstairs before he attacked her. She had been in the kitchen, just about to grab a cup of coffee when he stormed in, grabbing her by the waist and pinning her up against the fridge. No words were needed as he quickly spun them around, laying her back on the closest possible surface. With no hesitation he swiftly shed them of their clothes. Kissing a trail from her navel to her collarbone, he made sure to lavish each of her breasts with equal attention once she lay topless, swirling his tongue around each nipple until she was a panting mess. Her patience wavering Buffy reached between their bodies, massaging his aching shaft, she attempted to guide him to her achingly hot center.

"Condoms." He had nearly choked out.

Buffy's brow furrowed as she let out a small pout. She hated using condoms with him, she wanted to feel him inside of her, and when he wore one… well it just wasn't the same. She had always been on birth control before so it never mattered, but she had stopped taking it once she moved to Texas. There was no point then, and she was sure her prescription was long expired by now. She nibbled her way across his jawline and up to his ear before she whispered "You took them upstairs remember?".

Angel groaned in frustration, his logical thought process was quickly diminishing. His throbbing cock was now resting between her slick folds teasing him relentlessly, she continued to rotate her hips constantly attempting to guide him into her depths. The frayed edges of his control snapping, he roughly grabbed both her arms, pinning them above her head. He was a man possessed as he buried himself inside her with a single thrust. Setting a relentless rythm, he leaned over and in a husky whisper told her that there would be a mature conversation about this.

Later.

Buffy felt like the table below her was going to crack at any moment, Angel was keeping a ferocious pace, her legs encircled his waist as she raised her hips to meet his thrust. She couldn't believe that there was ever a time she thought that she could live without this. Releasing his grip on her hands, Angel reached between their bodies. He knew that there was soon to be no stopping his own orgasm, she was too much, too hot, too wet, too tight. Thankfully, he had barely even began to stroke her before she was convulsing around him. Her back arching from the table as she groaned out his name.

A few minutes later, once the oxygen had somewhat returned to her brain she finally opened her eyes to look up at him. "You keep this up, and were going to be one of those homeless couples out on the street." She teased, as small shocks of pleasure still rolled through her. Angel grinned as he rested against her forehead, "I'd live in a cardboard box with you, before I would live in a mansion without you."

OoOoO

Somehow one evening in the blissful aftermath of their lovemaking, she had convinced him to pull it together long enough for a movie night with her friends. It was the most horrendous idea he had ever heard. There was absolutely no way he was ready to share her, it was far too soon for company, but he was also finding it increasingly difficult to deny her anything. Plus, he knew that she must have missed her friends too, having been living so many states away for such a long time. So with a great reluctance he agreed, making her swear that their one movie wouldn't turn into a marathon.

Apparently it was Xander's turn to pick the movie, and he had been dying to watch Scream 3. Horror movies had never really been her thing, but if it was truly awful at least there would be Angel cuddles. If there was anything she craved, it was normalcy, and that's what normal couples did. They had movie nights. Not that anything about their situation was "normal", but it could be a start. Maybe it was a start, to their new normal.

She desperately wanted all of them to accept her and Angel as a couple again. Of course Willow and Tara had welcomed him back with open arms. It was almost like they were able to just pick up where they left off two years ago.

Almost.

It was Xander that was going to take some work, though everyone had expected that. It had taken years for them to bond, even a little the first time. After a few minutes of awkward stares, and talks about the weather, the proverbial pot that had been threatening boil over, finally exploded.

"So what? He helps you regain your memory, and suddenly you're married again…"

She was certain that Angel was going to hit him, but he had simply tightened his grip on her in his lap. Surprisingly, it was Willow who took the opportunity to smack Xander in the back of the head.

"Xander!"

Everyone had tried to ignore his dig, quickly changing the subject to Buffy's ongoing recovery. Everyone except for Angel that is. He hadn't responded, but Buffy could tell that the "M" word had bothered him. They hadn't discussed their future plans, or even mentioned anything about marriage. It was too soon, way too hadn't even had that condom talk yet. Everything was still in that blissful new relationship phase, and there was no way Buffy wanted to lose that, not yet.

After far too many hours, when everyone finally left, he wrapped his arms around her as they said their goodbyes to everyone from the door. There was something about her tonight, hell who was he kidding… There was something about this woman every night. She was his very own kryptonite. Surprising her, he grabbed her, picked her up to carry her up the stairs. He never once released her, even when they made it to the bed, he simply lay down on top of her, making sure their bodies were in constant contact.

There was something different in his touch tonight, it was almost as though he was trying to memorize every detail of her body. When she attempted to urge him on or speed things up, he only slowed down further, to the point that his touch was simply a whisper upon her skin. He spent the rest of the night worshipping her, making love to her with a tenderness that she had never before experienced.

OoOoO

"I apologized to Angel this morning. You know, for Xander."

Willow looked up from her laptop and made a face. "What'd he say?"

Buffy rolled her eyes. "For his existence?" she answered, doing an impression of Angel.

The redhead chuckled at that. "Oh, well, you know... Xander was witness to the two of you in your worst moments more than anyone else I think. He and Angel had an invisible line between them for so long and it took forever for them to be friends the first time. He's not going to be all fine and dandy with this as the rest of us that easily."

Buffy sighed. "I know, and I was just thinking about that yesterday... It probably doesn't help that I haven't really told him the whole story of what even happened... what all led to me and Angel splitting up for good in the first place. Nor have I really sat and explained where my head was when I had the accident and everything."

"Xander doesn't know?"

She sighed again. "No... Which, I also told Angel that this morning. He said it was my choice of who I let know about what Spike did... which it is... but I feel like Xander deserves to know too... Especially with how he's been acting. He still sees everything as Angel did this, that and the other without really having the full scope of what went on. Sometimes it gets on my every last nerve with all his digs at us or mutterings about Angel... but then at the same time.. I'm kind of grateful - at times anyway. Maybe it's good to have someone stopping us for a moment every now and then and questioning what in the hell is happening here. It is a lot to wrap one's head around."

Willow tilted her head. "Tara and I just want you to be happy, Buffy. We know that you and Angel had one hell of a rough go the first time you were together and we know trying to work things out can't be easy but-"

Buffy cut her off. "No, no! I'm so thankful that you guys are okay with this. I love how supportive you've been, Will. I love all the support and I love you being the best cheerleader for us! Don't get me wrong... It's just sometimes I worry we get too ahead of ourselves wanting things to just be right again. I know I do," she said. "Xander's questioning of us is a little grounding I guess. Lindsey, too," she added.

"Oh?"

"Well, he called me once. We FaceTimed."

"Linds isn't keen on you and Angel being back together?" Willow asked, a little surprised.

"I wouldn't say that... He called, and he flirted - as he does, he asked me how I was doing and all. It was just the way he said a few things that were kind of haunting... it was like he was begging me not to break Angel's heart again... without saying the actual words. I just want us to be together and it's like a sucker punch to the heart to even imagine things not working out. I don't think I could survive losing him again. And at the end of the day I know Lindsey is incredibly happy for us but... he's worried."

"Xander too you know."

"Yeah, I know. He's not being a jerk just to be one."

"You guys have so many people who love you both and who remember how happy and how perfect you were together for so long and everyone only wants what is best for you. People will show that in different ways sometimes. We all saw how much being apart destroyed something in each one of you... No one wants to see that repeat itself. At the same time, how I see it, is there's no sense in just constantly dwelling on all the bad either. Focus on fixing what got you there in the first place and move forward is really all you can do. And it seems that's what you both are trying to do right now. Not everyone has to understand that, just you and Angel at the end of the day."

Buffy sighed, laying her head down on the counter. "Sometimes that's easier said than done though. Even for me. This middle ground that we are in right now just kind of sucks. I mean, hallelujah for this, like, honeymoon phase we have been in because it's been hands down amazing but there's so much lurking underneath the surface we're going to have to get to at some point." Buffy looked down at her hand. "Like... I hate not being his wife," she admitted. "Maybe it's just a piece of paper to some people but it feels like something is missing to me. I am trying to just enjoy dating again and knowing at the end of the day we are together... but there's so much I wish we could just have right now."

Willow came and sat closer to her. "You'll get there, Buf. There's no rush, even if you feel like there is right now. You have the rest of your lives to get everything you both want."

Buffy sighed again. She knew that was the logical side of things but it still didn't tame that gnawing feeling inside her. That feeling of living more in the future than the present and still trying to fix the past, that overwhelming feeling of wishing she and Angel were married right now, that feeling of wanting a baby inside of her and for them to have a family...

Buffy knew they had been careless in bed - and everywhere else - several times since coming back into one another's lives. Her brain knew that a baby was the last thing they needed while trying to work things out but something inside of her sure hadn't gotten that message.

OoOoO

Before leaving Willow's, Buffy made sure to send a message to Xander asking him if he had a good time where they could get together this week. With just so much going on the two of them really hadn't seen much of one another at all. Let alone had any one-on-one time together to really discuss things that were happening.

She hoped once explaining more of the situation about her and Angel that he would be a little more understanding about their relationship. Time would only tell.

She couldn't force Xander to be okay with this but she hoped he'd eventually get there. The support would be nice.

OoOoO

Today had been the first day Angel had gone to work and not cut out early and she felt a little worried over the fact. She kept replaying everything that had happened last night with what Xander had spurted out and then how he had acted later in the evening when it was just the two of them and she had a hard time not overthinking it all.

Of course, at some point the man had to work and do something other than her, but his timing sure left a lot to be desired.

Those worries were quickly diminished to nothing when the doorbell rang. Puzzled as to who it could be, she approached the door with an optimistic hesitation. The last thing she wanted was another surprise appearance from Riley Finn.

"Hello?" She questioned, startled that no one was standing at the door, "Freaking kids." she muttered nearly missing the box at her feet. A hint of excitement bubbled inside her as she picked it up. 'There's no way he thought about that'… tilting the box she read the outer edge "1-800-Florist". Tears stung her eyes, swallowing the lump in her throat, she quickly made her way back inside.

Carefully carrying the box through the house, she placed it on the granite counter that Xander and Angel had installed, before everything went to shit. Grabbing the scissors out of the junk drawer she wasted no time opening the box.'Can you say overkill' she thought as she sliced through what seemed like endless amounts of tape. Finally feeling the lid give way, she slowly lifted it off to reveal the most beautiful bouquet she had ever seen. There had to be at least two dozen perfectly shaped red roses, with solid white lilies placed throughout in perfect contrast, creating the most magnificent balance.

An envelope sat on top of the bouquet that simply read 'Buffy'. Tracing the curvy script with her finger, she knew no matter how much time had passed, she would recognize that handwriting anywhere.

Picking it up, she wasn't sure why but her heart suddenly felt like it was going to beat out of her chest. Taking care not to tear the envelope, she pulled out the handwritten card. Breathing deeply, she closed her eyes, and counted back from ten before allowing herself to read the words scribbled before her.

'Buffy,

While I was suffering through the indescribable agony of meetings with The Senior Partners this morning, it occurred to me that this would be the 100th Monday I wasn't able to send you flowers. 99 Weeks without you damn near killed me, I don't ever want to find out what 100 would feel like.

Always,

A'

She had always hated Monday's, like seriously despised them. Ever since she was a kid, she use to try to convince her Mom they were evil so she didn't have to go to school, but of course it never worked. Though once she had met Angel, and he discovered her loathing of the day, he always tried to make it a little brighter by surprising her with something.

Every. Single. One.

Some weeks it was simply a card telling her about all the naughty things he planned to do once they were home. Other times it was cookies, or flowers like today. Setting the card to side, she held the flowers up to her inhaling their sweet scent. Her nerves slightly calmed from their earlier panic, they would figure this out. They had too.

She never told him, but she had a shoe box tucked away that was filled with every card he had ever sent her. All the way back to when they had first met on campus, she even still had the paper he had scribbled his number on. There were so many times she convinced herself to throw them in the garbage, or incinerate them in her fireplace. Instead, she had sealed the box and shoved it in the attic, along with the few other items of "theirs" she had kept.

The buzzing of her phone startled her, pulling her from her thoughts, she had half expected it to be Angel. But reading the text she discovered it was Xander telling her that he was available for lunch tomorrow… 'As long as Captain Forehead had to work.' Sometimes she swore monkeys were more mature.

OoOoO

Angel closed the door to his office, it seemed like everyone needed something from him. Which he guessed was to be expected with as much time as he had been out of the office. Still, it was exhausting.

Releasing the breath he felt like he'd been holding since he had arrived this morning, he discarded his briefcase on top of his large oak desk. Loosening the tie around his neck, he pressed a button on his phone telling his incompetent secretary to hold all of his calls.

Quickly rethinking, he once again pressed the button signaling Harmony.

"If Buffy happens to call, put her through. Even if I'm in a meeting, do you understand?" Angel could hear her smacking her chewing gum, clenching his jaw he pondered once more how she had yet to be fired.

"But you just said…" Groaning in frustration Angel pinched the bridge of his nose interrupting her. "I know what I just said Harmony, but I'm telling you now. From this point forward, if Buffy calls you put her through. No matter what. Understood?"

Harmony sighed as though he was the one annoying her, "Yes, I got it. If the Wifey calls, I'll put her through… no matter what."

"Buffy's not, Harmony she's not, she's just my… Fine, yes. Just put her through." Slamming the phone back into its cradle, Angel plopped down onto his chair, rubbing a hand through his perfectly styled hair. He couldn't bring himself to say that she wasn't his wife, but the last few days it seemed like everyone was determined to remind him.

Since he had moved back home, they hadn't wasted anytime becoming reacquainted with each other physically. Not that he was complaining, even now his body ached with need, and they had only been apart for… glancing at his watch he noted the time, six hours give or take. But as far as figuring out what their plans were for the future, they seemed to be at a stand still.

He kept telling himself that it had barely been a week since he moved back, but there were definitely things they needed to discuss sooner rather than later.

Xander's words last night had thrown him, not because he had said them, 'Screw Harris' but because a part of him understood the ridiculousness of their situation.

It was like he was torn, half of him wanted to drag Buffy down to the courthouse and make her officially his wife all over again, he didn't care about rushing or right decisions. He just wanted her to be his again, in every way. Afterwards he imagined he would make love to her every second of every day, until he was certain that she was carrying his child…

But the other part of him, the head above his shoulders knew that they were being reckless. They had been thinking with their hearts instead of their heads. He knew if they wanted to do this right, they needed to take the right steps. They definitely needed to open up that line of communication they had lost over the years, but at this moment, most importantly they needed to be taking precautions...in bed. It wouldn't be fair to either of them, or to their future child if they knowingly brought it into this uncertainty.

He knew she was probably worried that she hadn't heard from him all day, especially after Harris. He had originally broken away from the hordes of people that surrounded him at the office just needing any kind of a break. It had been nonstop since he'd arrived this morning… his time away lately certainly had something to do with that. Buffy hadn't exited his mind by a long shot but he tried to at least have one day where he was useful to the rest of society. Losing his job might not be the best play at the moment either.

Angel had sat at his desk and just let his mind be blank for a few minutes before letting out a huge sigh. He rubbed his eyes then got up to make himself yet another cup of coffee. While doing that he had noticed his neglected calendar hanging on the wall and decided to grab the closest marker and marked off the days. Noticing what day of the week it was, an idea suddenly struck him to surprise Buffy.

Angel couldn't deny his own excitement at the small gesture, it was one more tiny piece of his life he had gotten back.