December 3, 2004 - The Bachelor Party

"I don't know, Buffy" Angel said uncomfortably, "The last bachelor party I went to started ok, but ended with demons trying to eat a good friend of mine's brain."

Buffy rolled her eyes, "Angel, first off, Eww, and second, there will be no demons. Well except yours…and Spike…technically Oz….Ok so a few, but no brain eating. I swear."

He still looked unconvinced.

"It's a tradition! You like those! The groom has to have a bachelor party, and the bride has to have a bachelorette party … that's just how it goes." she explained matter of factually.

"I know, they had them in my day too, it's just…Spike and Xander…we're not exactly…close." He tried.

She gave him 'the look' and he knew he was going to this event, whether he wanted to or not.

He figured he would try a different approach, "You know, maybe it will be good for me, spend some time with the guys, develop some bad male habits, get really drunk, dance with the stripper…hmm…maybe this will be fun"

She punched him in the arm, hard.

"Ow, hey you want me to go! I would be perfectly content to stay home with my pregnant fiancé, but no…I have to go hang with the guys, most of which I don't even like, drink vast amounts of alcohol and check out half naked woman dancing just inches from my face."

She glared at him, "Nice try. So you're going?" she asked, although they both knew it wasn't really a question.

He looked around for a second, for any desperate escape loop, but her eyes stayed firmly planted to his. His shoulders fell and he admitted defeat, "Yeah, I'll go."

She smiled and dragged his cheek down to kiss it. "Thank you! You'll have a blast; Oz is great at planning this kind of stuff. Oh and don't fight with Spike, I know you guys have the 'mortal enemies' thing going on but you can ignore that for one night. And don't bruise Xander, at least not anywhere the camera can see, I will have no black eyes in my wedding photos." She ordered.

He took a deep breath and nodded, "Alright, fine. Are you sure you wouldn't rather…"

She slapped a hand over his mouth before he could continue, "Go. Have fun. Or else. Besides, if you are out having fun, that means I can too."

As she finished she pushed him out the front door and slammed it before he could turn around.

'She can have fun too? What does she mean by that?'

He checked the knob and found it locked. Before he could knock, Oz's van pulled into the driveway and Giles called his name from the passenger seat.

Spike stuck his head out the window and called "Let's get a move on Peaches, the faster I can get pissed the better."

Angel shook his head and walked to the van, 'Funny, I was just thinking the same thing.' He thought to himself.

...

"No Oz, this is great, really" Angel said uncomfortably. They were all at the local pub sitting at the bar, and none of them were having what would be called 'fun' yet.

"It's just, well the last bachelor party I went to started ok, but ended with demons trying to eat a good friend of mine's brain."

Oz arched an eyebrow, "Really? Huh, and I was just planning on a few beers and a stripper. But if you want I can work brain eating in somewhere."

Angel quickly raised his hands, "No, no please don't. Actually no stripper either, Buffy would flip."

"No? Huh, I heard Faith's got one for the Bachelorette party."

Angel's attention was successfully hooked, "What? What kind a stripper? A guy stripper? If another man even thinks about wiggling around in front of MY fiancé… No, no way. No how. Not happening!" He made as to get off the seat and make sure it wasn't going to happen.

Oz grabbed his arm and held him planted in the spot. "Dude, relax. It's just innocent fun."

Angel was still huffy on the idea but remained seated...for the moment.

Xander wandered up the bar and sat next to Oz, "Hey, isn't this supposed to be a party? You know, like with fun and such?"

Spike slid into the stool next to Angel, "Yeah Poof, shouldn't you be getting pissed right bout now? That's the idea of a stag party isn't it? And where's that bloody stripper at, I wanna see some right knockers!"

Angel rolled his eyes and took a deep swig of his Guinness. 'I might have to get drunk just to stand being near Spike for the next three seconds, never mind three hours.'

...

After a while things began to pick up, mostly because everyone had a few beers in them by then and they were finally loosening up.

Giles sat with his whiskey, Xander and Oz each had a drafts from the tap, Spike was guzzling down whatever he could get his hands on and Angel was half way through a bottle of Jameson.

"So Angel here grabs the wanker round the throat an…" Spike was saying until Angel grabbed him by the throat,

"So 'elp me William, ya finish dat tale, an' they'll be findin' ur pieces till da mornin'." Angel threatened with his old Irish brogue rolling out as he got drunker. "By da way, you'll be buyin' me an Buffy a new table."

...

A cheer and a whistle were heard as husky music began to play and a long leg poked out from behind the curtain on the small stage in the pub.

A beautiful young woman, wearing very little of anything, slowly danced out from behind the curtain.

She moved to the beat, shedding a few items, and spinning around a pole. Her long raven hair swung around her shoulders as the thin strip of material that passed as a skirt swirled with her hips.

Spike and Xander were practically drooling on the stage, Giles's eyes were quiet wide and Oz had a slight grin.

Angel was looking down at his glass of Jameson.

Slowly the stripper danced off stage and made a bee line for the guest of honor, who had yet to look up at her.

She swung an arm over his shoulder and spun him around on the stool. He almost jumped at the action, his eyes widened when he saw the extremely attractive woman. "Ah, hi" he said lamely and she gyrated in front of him. He couldn't help but notice how well endowed she was as her body, bounced, along with the beat of the music.

"Hello yourself" she said, looking him up and down with an approving glance. She leaned in close and whispered into his ear, "Might be willing to give you a lap dance for free, hot stuff." She said as she winked at him.

He laughed nervously, and then held up his ring finger, letting her see the silver Claddagh on his right hand.

She smiled, "Right hand, not married yet" she whispered seductively.

"Sorry lass, I'm spok'en for." He slurred, picturing Buffy wearing the outfit the woman had on.

She frowned "Mmm, sexy accent and loyal too…Lucky girl she is." She danced away, heading over to Spike who was waving a few bills.

...

The hours passed Angel had finished his bottle and the guys were buying him shots.

Funny stories circulated, Angel too drunk now to stop Spike as he explained about a few of Angelus's most embarrassing moments.

'So Dru and me are gettin back from a hunt, and we sees The High an Mightly himself here fleein down the road like a scared babe. He ain't wearing a stitch, an Darla's commin at em with a broken broom. Never in all my all years have I heard such fowl language commin out such a dainty lil mouth.

"What was she yelling about?" Xander asked with a drunken grin.

"Never asked." Spike shrugged. Then thought to ask Angel now that he was too inebriated to lie.

"Hey Peaches, what'd you do to set her off?" he asked, slapping Angel's arm to make sure he was awake.

"Huh?" Angel asked. Spike repeated the story and the question, all little slower this time.

Angel grinned, in the way only those too removed for their senses can, "She ask'd me, does dis dress make me look fat?" He slurred.

"What do you reply?" Giles asked.

"I tells her, No, but ur arse does."

Spike laughed, "Oh you were an evil bastard weren't ya."

...

Angel practically fell into the seat between Spike and Xander, and slung his arms over both their shoulders, "Ya know, ya not so bad. 'ell, oi tink oi luv ya guys."

Oz looked worriedly at Giles, "I think it's time we cut him off."

Giles nodded, "Agreed."

..

Half an hour later, Spike and Giles had Angel slung between them, one of his arms over each of their shoulders.

"Alright Nancy-boy, time to sleep it off." Spike commented to Angel, who was mostly passed out at the moment, but occasionally he would mumble something in Gaelic.

Xander opened the front door to Angel and Buffy's house and the two walked Angel in and flopped him down onto the couch.

The girl's bachelorette party had ended an hour ago and Buffy and Willow were sitting in the kitchen talking when they heard the guys come in.

Buffy quickly stood and glanced into the living room, when she saw them practically carrying her fiance she panicked. "Oh God, what happened?" she asked as she hurried over to Angel, now lying on the couch.

She looked him over and was immediately hit with the strong wave of alcohol smell drifting off him.

"Right luv, so ya know that vampire constitution we're always goin on about?" Spike explained. "Well turns out, he ain't got it no more."

She sent him an unhappy glare, "You got him trashed? We're getting married tomorrow, noon!" She said angrily.

Giles stepped forward, "Buffy, we all bought him a few shots, we insisted, honestly we really had no idea he was getting…well that." Giles indicated towards Angel who had partly woken up and was mumbling an old Irish drinking song in Gaelic.

"He's talking in tongues" Buffy commented.

Giles shook his head, "Gaelic actually, horribly slurred, some sort of vulgar drinking song I believe."

She sent them all a disapproving glare then pointed to the door. She would deal with them tomorrow, but right now her attention was on her husband-to-be.

The four quickly shuffled out, all of them knowing hurricane Buffy would be blowing strong tomorrow.

"I'll make sure Oz and Xander get a tongue lashing." Willow said from behind her.

Buffy turned; she had nearly forgotten she was here. She smiled at her friend, "Thanks, I appreciate it."

Willow nodded and hugged her, "You need any help with him?" she asked noticing Angel's condition.

"Nah, I can handle him. Don't let the baby bump fool you, I'm still a Slayer remember." She said with a smile.

Willow nodded, "OK, well goodnight Buffy. I hope you had a great time tonight. And ahh…have fun…with him." The redhead said as she headed for the door, "Call me if you need anything."

Buffy sent her a smile, "Thanks Willow, I did and I will."

Buffy sat on the couch next to Angel; he seemed oblivious to her presents.

"Angel?" she called and ran her thumb along his cheek.

He turned to her and smiled. "A chuisle mo chroí! (O pulse of my heart!) An aingayle (angel) 'as fallen, behauld 'er sittin' by me. Such a bonny lass she be." He said in drunken slurred Gaelic, but she had no idea what he said.

"Umm, right. Can we switch back to English now maybe?"

"Stupid Sasanach, we not want dem in our Eirinn!" He mumbled, still in Gaelic.

"Oh boy, less than a day till the wedding and they get you wasted..." she grumbled as she sat him up, "Come on, let's get you to bed." She said as she slung am arm over her shoulder and pulled him to his feet.

"Now that's waaat me wants ter 'ear, nathin' loike curlin' up ter a lass ter keep a paddy feelin' youthful." He said.

She looked at him, wishing she knew Gaelic. 'On the other hand, maybe I don't want to know what he's saying...'

It took a few tries to get him up the stairs; his legs weren't quiet getting the concept.

...

She finally helped him into the bedroom and sat him on the edge of the bed so she could strip him down to his boxers.

When she leaned in to unbutton his shirt he leaned forward and caught her lips in a hungry kiss. His arms wrapped around her waist and he pulled her against him.

The taste of the whiskey on his tongue made her pull away.

"No, not tonight" She whispered to him as he switched to kissing her neck, "You're drunk…it wouldn't be right." Her words said one thing, but the way he was kissing her neck made her body want the opposite.

"Only a wee bit trollied," He answered back, this time in English but still with a heavy slur and accent.

She leaned in closer, and then yelped in surprise as he fell backwards onto the bed, dragging her with him.

When they landed, their lips met again, hungrily attacking on another. She expected him to pass out at any moment, it always happened in the movies that way.

Instead he rolled on top of her and pulled them both higher onto the bed, even drunk he was careful of her growing belly.

His lips broke from her lips and began to travel down her body, igniting a trail of fiery passion as he went.

'Where did my shirt go?" she wondered.

When he got to her little baby bump he took a few minutes to kiss around the area. "An' 'ow is de wee lass? Ya best be behavin' for ya ma an' da."

Buffy giggled as he spoke to their unborn child, even in English it was hard to understand him between the accent and the slurring. She leaned down and grabbed him, drawing him back up to her lips. "Talk more, it's funny." She said to him.

He cast her a false hurt expression, "Funny? Me Oirish brogue is nathin' but a joke ter ya? Yer are an evil lass. Mayhaps yer shud be punished?"

She giggled again, "And you're the one to punish me?"

"Aye" He suddenly stopped kissing her and rolled off, laying on his pillow and pretending to fall asleep.

"No!" Buffy cried, then laid down in front of him and gave him her 'puppy dog' stare.

He opened one eye and grinned. "Are ya beggin' me love?" he asked.

She leaned in, "No, but I will asked nicely. Please?"

He laughed, "Never cud say naw ter ya." He finished by resuming their kiss.

...

Buffy was floating; numerous orgasms in a row will do that to a girl.

She smiled and rolled over, snuggling onto the fiancés chest. "Wow." She said, still trying to get her heart rate back to normal. "That was…amazing. And here I thought you being drunk would make…that…impossible."

He grinned, "That was nothing Buff, I can do much better."

Buffy went still at the nickname, Angel NEVER called her that. She lifted her head and looked into his face. His dark brown eyes stared back at her, but they were cold and calculating, there was no warmth.

"Oh god" She whispered as she rolled off him and backed away, clutching the sheet over her exposed body. "What…How…I…You can't be here." She reasoned.

He sat up and sent her a wicked smile, "Can't, but am. Funny how that works huh?"

She shook her head, "Your face, you didn't change?"

He grinned, "Makes it easier to pretend I'm him, don't you think?"

She screamed at him, "Get out! Get the Hell out of my bed you bastard!"

Angelus laughed, "But you wanted me in it a few minutes ago."

She glared hatefully at him, "I never wanted you! You're not him, you don't get to have me!"

As he stood he sent her a wink, "Just did Lover."

She threw his pants at him, they would have hit him in the face had he not caught them. "Well that was rude."

She screamed again, "GET OUT!"

He shrugged and headed for the door, "Nighty, night, Slutty."

Buffy stood staring at the closed door for a second, her mind trying to understand what the hell just happened.

'I slept with Angelus…oh god…I cheated on Angel. He's going to hate me now. Oh God! I feel…violated.' She grabbed her pillow and hugged it tight, tears soaking into the fabric. 'I cheated on him the night before our wedding. He's going to call it off now. He's going to hate me.' She eventually cried herself to sleep that night.

6am

In the morning she awoke and stretched. The horrible nightmare she had last night nearly forgotten, until she got up and found Angel's shirt on the floor by the edge of the bed.

Fear struck her, 'No! No that couldn't have really happened.'

She tiptoed to the door and quietly opened it, crept to the stairs and looked over the railing into the living room below, there she spotted Angel curled up on the couch, sound asleep still.

'Oh god, it did...he'll never forgive me.'

Buffy descended the stairs soundlessly; she wasn't ready to face Angel yet, so she didn't want to wake him.

She entered the kitchen and began to fill the coffee pot; she really needed a cup this morning, so the baby would just have to deal with that.

She opened the fridge and glanced inside, the thoughts from the previous night made her stomach turn, but she needed to eat for the life growing inside.

The fridge door shut and she sat at the table, a fresh cup of black coffee in one hand, and a strawberry yogurt in the other.

A creak in the floorboard behind her caused her to turn quickly; Angel shuffled in, his head down, eyes mostly shut. He practically fell into the chair across from her, his head in his hands. "Uhh, now I remember why I quite drinking." He groaned into the table.

She slid her coffee cup in front of him in sympathy then stuck the spoon into her yogurt. She would have offered him the yogurt too, but Angel hated the stuff, it was just about the only food he wouldn't touch.

His head tilted up a bit and his red half opened eye focused on the coffee. It took two tries, but he finally succeeded in grabbing the cup.

...

Ten minutes passed in silence, he nursed his coffee, she ate the yogurt, and neither said anything.

'He must not remember yet, when he does, he going to be pissed. He's going to tell me to leave…or he's going to leave. But what if he doesn't remember? Can I actually tell him? Would it be better if I didn't? What am I going to do?' she thought, sending a worried glance toward him every few seconds.

After another minute he slowly rose unsteadily to his feet and walked out of the kitchen with a word.

She turned to him and followed, "Where are you going?" she panicked, wildly thinking he was leaving her.

However in actuality, he was currently oblivious to everything except the skull cracking pounding in his head; but she didn't realize that.

"Bed" he mumbled as he ascended the staircase.

'Oh, he's pissed at me isn't he?' She slowly followed, keeping a respectable distance from him.

When he got upstairs he walked straight into their bedroom and crawled face down under the sheets, and then pulled his pillow over his head.

After a minute she realized he wasn't mad, he was just in pain, and not the emotional turmoil of his alter ego sleeping with his wife-to-be; just simple physical hangover headache pain.

Feeling sorry for him, she went into the bathroom and opened the medicine cabinet. A minute later she was sitting on the bed, and pulling the pillow off so he wouldn't suffocate.

She rubbed his back, "I know it hurts, but I have something that will help, sit up for a second." He grumbled something incoherent but complied.

She fed him a few aspirin then held up a glass of water to his lips.

After he swallowed them he laid back down.

She was about to leave when he whispered, "Stay?"

She was torn a moment, but the way he's asked she couldn't refuse. She sat back down and he rested his head on her thigh and wrapped his arm around her legs, within seconds he was asleep.

Buffy leaned back against the headboard and ran a hand through his hair as he slept.

She glanced down at the ring on her finger, knowing she had violated all that it stood for.

A single tear ran down her cheek, 'I have to tell him.' She looked down at him, vowing to talk to him when he woke.

8:15am

Ringing.

Buffy felt Angel roll off her lap and then a grunt and clicking sound as he picked the cordless phone up off the base and brought it to his ear.

"Hello" he mumbled in a sleepy voice.

Buffy fully awoke and looked over at him, noticing the tiredness dissolve as it was replaced by concern and panic. "When? Where?" he asked, voice sharp.

She couldn't hear the response but his reaction didn't bode well.

"Ten minutes" he said then hung up.

Angel was digging though his draws for clothes when Buffy interrupted.

"Who was that? What's going on?" she asked, voice full of concern.

"Demon, the girls are busy with some Hellmouth activity. I'll be right back." He said tugging on pants and a shirt.

"Isn't there anyone else?" she asked, hoping he would see reason, they were scheduled to be wed in under 4 hours!

"An hour, I'll be back in an hour, two tops." He said heading for the stairs.

Buffy followed not happy about it but knowing she couldn't and wouldn't talk him out of helping keep the world safe.

"Angel…" she said as he pulled some weapons out of the weapons cabinet.

He turned and saw her strained expression, there was something more than him going to kill a demon on their wedding day that was bothering her. He dropped the weapons and went to her.

"Buffy? What is it? Are you alright?" he asked, placing a hand over the slight bump that indicated their growing child.

"No…I mean yeah, the baby's fine. It's just…I umm…we need to talk…like really talk…before the wedding." She said to him.

He took a deep breath, "Is it about last night?" he ventured.

Her eyes widening answered for her.

He shook his head, "God, Buffy I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get that drunk…"

He was cut off, "That isn't it." She said quietly, almost afraid to continue.

"Then what?" he asked.

She shifted, realizing now would be a great time for the phone to ring and rescue her from having to tell her husband-to-be she cheated on him.

Nothing interrupted. 'Never when you need it, always when you don't.'

"It's…Angelus." She whispered, almost too low for him to hear.

His brow furrowed, "What about Angelus?" he asked, not happy to be speaking about his demonic-ego.

She shifted again, looking down at the floor to avoid the accusing look in his eyes. "He…he umm…" she mumbled.

"Did something happen with him last night? I don't see how since I wasn't near death…"

She spoke up, "I think it happened because you were really drunk, lowered your inhibition or something…Angel, his face didn't change" she told him.

He took a moment to digest that. "What happened? What did he do to you?" he asked, voice stiff with anger at his evil side.

She looked up and met his eyes, tears twinkling in hers, "We…I…I thought he was you." She said apologetically.

Understanding hit him, "You slept with him." He said quietly.

Tears streamed down her face, "I'm sorry Angel, Oh god am I sorry. I didn't know…he was talking funny and I just thought it was you being drunk…"

They were both silent a moment, both deep in their own thoughts.

Angel spoke first, "Wait, you said he was talking funny? Like slurred?"

She nodded. "Drunken slurred Gaelic is was Giles called it."

He contemplated that a moment, "And after…nightly activates…he didn't have the slur?" he asked.

She thought a moment then shook her head, "No, he seemed sober."

He nodded, "Did you sleep with him after that? When he was sober?" he asked cautiously.

"No! God No! I kicked him out the second I realized it wasn't you!"

Angel visibly relaxed, "Oh thank god" he sighed out.

"What?" she asked confused.

He pulled her into a tight hug, "Buffy that was me you slept with, you didn't cheat on me." He said into her ear.

Relief flooded her, "Really? Are you sure?" she asked not wanting to get her hopes up.

He nodded, "Most of the night is blurry, but I do remember making love to you."

She looked at him, "It was you?" she asked, needing to hear it again.

He nodded and kissed the top of her head, "It was me."

She hugged him tight, letting her horror and worried go.

"What…what about Angelus?" she asked after a moment, "It was him, I know it was."

He inhaled and let his breath out slowly, "I honestly have no idea, no memory of it. I must have passed out afterwards, I guess he somehow took control. Buffy nothing he said is true, whatever he said…"

She cut him off, "I know. He made me think I slept with him and not you…that's all."

Angel grinned, "At least I know why I woke up on the couch."

She let herself smile too, "Sorry."

He nodded, "Not your fault, I'm glad you did."

He sobered a few seconds later, "When I apologized earlier, I was going to say because I remember you telling me 'No, not tonight.' I thought maybe you felt I forced myself on you."

She pulled back and shook her head, "No, no you didn't force anything. Yeah I said no…but I really didn't want you to stop." She admitted.

He nodded, "Good. I didn't want to ever hurt you…especially not like that."

She shook her head, "Umm, Slayer? I can kick your ass remember?"

He laughed, "Ok, point taken."

"Actually…drunken sex is pretty amazing." She finished with a mischievous grin.

He joined her, "It is isn't it?"

They kissed, letting their fears drain away; knowing whatever happened with Angelus wouldn't tear them apart.

..

Angel's cell began to ring.

'Oh NOW the phone rings…not when I really needed it to…typical.' Buffy thought as Angel's lips parted from hers so he could answer the phone.

She frowned when he spoke to the voice on the other end, "Yeah, Ok. I'm leaving now."

He hung up and shot her an apologetic glare. "I have to go."

She nodded, "I know."

They kissed again, this time sweet and chaste.

"I love you." He whispered.

She repeated it back to him.

He looked at her a moment, like he was etching her face into his memory, then grabbed a sword and ran out the back door.

...

To be Continued in 'The Wedding'

(If the 'Irish' accent is too hard to read I can change it, or offer it in normal English below?)