Who Ordered the Apocalypse? Part 3

Angel had fallen asleep as the exhaustion caught up to him, and Buffy was dozing against him when her dream flashed threw her mind again. She knew instantly those horrible images would have actually resulted had she not gotten her vision when she did. She would have guarded the Hellmouth in vein until the following day, Connor wouldn't have known the vampriss was at AI, and Dawn wouldn't have been saved. Drusilla would have discovered her siring of Angel had failed and in her anger she would have killed her husband and children.

"Angel!" She cried as she snapped awake, burying herself in him as she sobbed out how quickly her life could have unraveled...at how fragile the balance could be between life and death. It scared her how something as minuscule as a phone call could make all the difference.

He abruptly awoke and tightened his hold on his panicking wife. "It's ok, I'm right here, shh Buffy, everything's ok." He soothed, kissing her head, rubbing her back and running his fingers threw her long blond hair.

After a moment she looked up at him, eyes shimmering with tears. "You left me." She accused quietly, unloading her horror at having to give him CPR as his heart stopped earlier in the day.

"Only for a second." He countered, holding her tighter.

"Five minutes." She mumbled back, "You had no pulse for five minutes."

"Oh." He replied, not actually having a memory of anything between killing Drusilla and waking up with the gang talking. "I'm sorry." he automatically apologized, knowing he must have scared her.

She buried her face into his neck as she usually did, except he flinched and pulled away, his hand covering over the unhealed punctures.

"Oh sorry, does it hurt?" She asked, wondering if touching the wounds caused him pain. At his wide-eyed expression she got worried again. "Angel?"

He looked over at her, forcing himself to lower his hand. "I'm fine." he said in a very unconvincing manor.

That was one personality quirk she could always count on about Angel; when he claims he's not fine...he's faking and just looking for a little female sympathy and/or attention. However, if he says he is fine...he's not.

"What's wrong?" She pried, knowing if she asked him directly he wouldn't lie and be less likely to dance around the subject.

"It's...well...I guess I'm not used to being at the bottom of the food chain. Until tonight, even though I'm alive, I really never though of myself as...edible." he admitted, looking sheepish.

"Used to being the predator, not the prey?" She summarized.

He nodded, "Yeah, pretty much. Really freaked me out."

"I really don't see you as the bottom of the food chain, Honey. As for being freaked...it's a very human reaction to something trying to eat you." She tried to make him feel better by smiling her last point.

A pensive look crossed his face, almost a brood. After a moment he looked at the already healed mark on her neck. "Is...that what it's like when I..." He was going to finish his sentence by saying 'when I bite you', but she cut him off.

"No." She emphasized, cuddling up close and running her fingers along his cheek. "It's nothing like that. When you take blood, it becomes part of you, it heals you. You're not just looking for an all-you-can-eat buffet like a vamp."

He looked back at her, boring into her eyes, searching for validation to her claims...and he found it.

He leaned forward slightly, resting his forehead against hers. "This is all my fault." He whispered.

"No, it's not." she frowned, really hating his full-brood streak and actually wishing for Mr. Lusty again. At least that version of her husband knew how to smile and relax...even if it did usually lead to something romantic.

"It is." He protested, leaning back. "I let Dru escape, and she almost killed our daughter as a result." He glanced over at the crib and felt another pang a guilt stab his heart. 'I'm a shitty father.' He thought, 'Can't even keep one girl safe...my little girl.'

"You couldn't have known Angel, no one can see the future." Buffy tried to get him to see reason

"Unless you're a slayer with prophetic dreams, or an insane vampire with visions...or Cordelia." He countered.

She sighed, "Ok, so some can...not the point here."

Throwing out her argument she tried a different approach, she leaned forwards and captured his lips, her hands on either side of his face to keep him in place. If words weren't working, maybe her tongue could try another way to convince him he wasn't at fault.

He tensed and resisted, but that only lasted about two seconds before she breached his defenses like an ocean wave to a sandcastle's wall.

As her lips melted over his, she suddenly remembered the scene that played out in his office a few hours ago.

Of him kissing Drusilla.

She pulled back suddenly, momentarily forgetting she was drawing him out of the shell he was trying to hide in. "You kissed Drusilla." She muttered against him, "She tried to kill you, and you kissed her."

She pulled back and looked him straight in the eyes, "How could you?"

Without replying, he pulled her forward and recaptured her lips with his, instantly halting any more words from her as she melted against him, her anger dissolving as her body reacted to his warmth.

When he finally pulled away for them to breathe, she look up at him almost dazed.

"That was a kiss Buffy." he said running his fingers along her cheek.

"Mmm, yes it was." She replied almost drunkenly, her mind temporally forgetting she was mad at him.

"I didn't kiss Drusilla." He defended.

As those words she remembered the anger.

"I was tasting her Buffy, the last thing I remembered was trying to get Katie away from her...when I couldn't hear her heartbeat in the room..." he trailed.

Buffy looked into his eyes, they betrayed only truth in them. "You needed to know if she...drank her." She supplied.

He nodded, "Yes, or anyone else. I knew I couldn't trust her to tell me."

"What would you have done if she had hurt someone?" She asked, leaning back against him.

"I don't know, but it wouldn't have been the quick and painless death she got." He answered.

Buffy felt relief wash over her, her lover wasn't kissing another woman. He was only protecting his family.

Her body already felt hot from his kisses, her lips already swelling from them.

At the thought of someone else putting their lips on his, she felt a surge of possession wash over her. That coupled with her need to feel him alive drove her lips back into his, crushing against him and pushing him down onto the bed as she climbed atop him.

He was surprised by the attack of passion, but despite being tired and worn, he kissed back with eagerness. He knew she needed this, that she needed reassurance he was still here, alive and with her.

And truth be told he needed it too. Her love eased his guilt, broke down his self-hating barriers, letting her light shine in and save him from a life of darkness and regret.

Besides, what man in his right mind would say no to his rapidly nakeding sexy young wife straddling his hips and wanting him desperately? Answer...sure as hell not him.

The sling on his arm vanished and seconds later each of his hands cupped a full breast, his thumbs and forefingers teasing the already stiffening peaks.

She moaned against his mouth, sending a bolt of desire threw his groin, which by now was very aware of the attention she was showing it as she rubbed against him.

'Thank god Cass forgot the catheter this time.' he thought with relief. 'That would have been a major mood killer.'

He really wanted to roll her beneath him, give her the satisfaction of his weight atop her, surrounding her. But as it was, his leg had a cast which spanned over his knee and half way up his thigh, making bending his knee impossible and he knew being on top with one leg to support him was bound to be uncomfortable and awkward...and painful on the injured limb.

Buffy seemed to have no problem being atop him, especially since his right hand wandered into her golden curls and was exploring the wet folds.

She moaned his name as her first orgasm approached. His fingers doing a wonderful job at guiding her in the right direction.

He thought briefly about how pissed Cassidy would be when she found out they were having sex in the Med-Ward. Not to mention her anger than he'd essentially died from blood loss only hours earlier and he was now letting a good majority of that blood migrate to the lower part of his body, and getting his heart rate elevated in the process.

Those thoughts dissolved as Buffy pushed down his sweats and slid herself onto him, seating him to the root. He groaned out her name as her warmth surrounded him, filling her completely.

'Heaven.' He thought briefly, finding every moment spent making love to his wife the epitome of perfection.

They moved together, briefly forgetting the cribs only feet away as they vocalized their passions to one another.

When Liam cried in protest, they didn't stop, couldn't by then, but continued as quietly as possible.

...

It certainly wasn't a marathon night, Angel's body was eager but ill prepared for such strenuous activity, especially minus his demon stamina.

They released together, Angel's heart hammering in his chest, feeling like he'd gone ten rounds instead of one.

When Buffy collapsed down against his chest, a look of concern flashed in her eyes. "Are you ok?" She asked, mildly afraid at his rapid breaths.

"Never realized...how much I relied...on my demon side...for that." he admitted, feeling guilty for wearing out so fast.

"As I recall, you were well above average even without." She grinned, remembering the day that wasn't, when he was human and they'd spent a majority of the day in his bedroom. Even without a demon, he was an amazing lover.

He smirked, "I wasn't in the hospital...at the time." Pain and exhaustion stealing a majority of his stamina this time.

Her smiled faded and she realized how foolish she had been coaxing him into having sex so soon after heart trauma.

"Oh god, we shouldn't have..." She blushed, feeling horrible.

He pulled her lips down to his and kissed her fears away.

When he released he lips he grinned, "No, we probably shouldn't have...but I'm gad we did." They both needed love, the comfort it provided their souls overpowering the irrational timing.

His heart rate and breathing were settling back down now, and with it his eyes were really feeling the tiredness seeping over him.

"Are you passing out on me?" she teased, noticing him falling asleep.

"Very likely." He mumbled, snuggling closer.

She settled down against him, equally ready to get some sleep after such a long and sleepless few days.

"I love you." She whispered against his chest, his heart rate already slowing as his body relaxed.

He drowsily hugged her tighter and pressed a kiss her to crown, too far gone to reply with words.

She smiled and let sleep take her too.

...

Buffy shivered slightly and rolled over to snuggle with her husband, except he wasn't there.

Feeling the empty bed hospital she sat up with a pang of worry and confusion and looked around. "Angel?" she called quietly, wondering if nature called him away or if something was wrong.

'What if he was never here?' The thought entered her brain. 'What if you dreamed the whole thing? What if he died yesterday and they sedated you because you broke down?'

She shook her head, pushing the ideas way. 'No, it was real...wasn't it?' She found herself asking.

But what really threw her, was she couldn't feel him.

"Angel?" She called again, slipping her pants, shoes and shirt back on.

She glanced down at the two sleeping tots in the cribs beside the bed, Katie out like a light and Liam gently suckling him thumb.

'They wouldn't have them them here with me if I were crazy.' She decided.

"Where did you go?" She asked her absent husband quietly to herself, her gut clenching at why she couldn't feel him.

She briefly looked around the large room and found no sign of him.

She was thinking about panicking when a thought entered her mind as her stomach rumbled it was very empty.

Glancing at the cribs she figured the sleeping tots would be fine for a few minutes as she searched upstairs in the cafeteria.

'If there is one thing with enough power to drive a tired and wounded Angel out of bed with me besides the kids crying...it's food.' She thought as she pushed the elevator call button.

Her heart eased a bit when she saw some of the lights were on in the cafe. Someone was inside...but the right someone?

When she passed the tables and chairs in the large sitting area, she slowly pushed open the back doors to the kitchen and peered inside.

She let out a breath of relief when she spotted her husband as he fished in the refrigerator.

As quietly as she could, she sneaked up behind him, fully aware he could sense her but still liking the challenge of trying.

"You ditched me for a sandwich?" she joked, figuring he'd laugh.

Instead he nearly jumped out of his sweatpants, dropping a bottle of mustard and a water bottle.

He whipped around, his hand shot to his heart. "Jesus Buffy, you scared the hell out of me."

Her smile dropped at his reaction. "Oh god, are you ok?" She asked at seeing his hand over his heart.

"I'll live." He muttered, giving his heart a minute to ease out of his throat and back into his chest.

"I'm sorry, I figured you knew I was here." She apologized as she wrapped her arms around his waist. 'He always senses me.'

He leaned over and kiss her crown, "I normally would have...but my demon side is dormant...I can't even see in the dark." he admitted.

"Oh, right." She remembering, realized that was probably the reason why she couldn't feel him from downstairs. When he was this close, she could sense his soul as she always could, but without his demon side the range was highly muted.

She bent and picked up the items, grabbing another water then shutting the fridge.

He limped to the counter, "Sandwich?" He offered the meal he'd just finished making.

She smiled at him. 'A man that will offer me his food when he's obviously starving...that's a keeper.'

She cut it in half and they shared it as they made a few more to take with them back downstairs before the kids woke.

They put the small pile of sandwiches into a to-go tray and headed back.

Half-way down the hall Angel slipped, Buffy grabbed his arm to steady him before he could fall.

"Stupid cast doesn't have very good traction." He muttered as he leaned against Buffy for support.

"That's because it's not designed to be walked on." She countered, mildly mad he ventured off alone instead of asking her to get him dinner.

"You were asleep, I didn't want to wake you." He countered back as if reading her mind. "Besides, nature called, I figured since I was up..."

"You'd risk getting hurt further and lengthen you're recovery time." She stated blandly.

He knew he was going to lose that fight. "Ok, ok, I should have asked for help. I'm sorry. I'm an idiot...am I forgiven?" He finished with a classic grin.

"We'll see." she smirked.

'God I hate when she says that.' He thought, knowing it usually meant doing something he didn't want to do.

...

Thankfully the two babies were still sleeping soundly when they got back to the bed.

After inhaling the sandwiches, they settled back down. Angel practically snoring as soon as he'd finished eating.

She smiled down at him, deciding to sleep on top of him to discourage him sneaking off again, and as a bonus he was much more comfy than the narrow and lumpy hospital bed.

He didn't seem to mind.

She also frowned as she watched him sleep, just looking into his face she'd known walking on his cast had hurt him more than it should have. Sometimes she really wished he wasn't so god damn stubborn. Especially when his health was concerned.

She finally fell asleep to the steady thump, thump, thump beneath her ear.

...

The following morning she awoke with him right where she left him, which was a welcome relief.

She smiled and placed a light kiss on her sleeping husband's temple.

He obviously was the same man she'd spent the last three years of her life with, but different too.

Last night she realized how much his demonic growls really turned her on, without them it was still pleasant...but the feeling something was missing from him was extremely apparent.

Unable to help but watch him a moment, she realized his purely human condition was sending her mind back to the day that never happened. The day he snuck out of bed and nearly got himself torn apart by a mohra demon for being a stubborn idiot.

Remembering that, she vowed to herself that he wasn't allowed to leave her sight until his powers returned. There would be no repeat performances of that day, or yesterday.

Not long after, she drifted back to sleep.

...

At seven in the morning, Cassidy slipped into the Med-Ward like always. She didn't mind the long hours, her body was well balanced between being an early bird and a night owl.

Glancing at the only occupied bed in the ward, she grinned to herself. 'Seems Buffy works just as good as chains to keep the boss in bed.'

Figuring she'd let the couple sleep, she wandered into her office to catch up on some back paperwork.

...

When Buffy woke again, Angel was running his fingers down her back.

"Morning sleepyhead." He grinned, kissing her forehead as she sat up.

"Morning." She yawned back, kissing him good morning.

"How long have you been awake?" She asked, stretching and looking over at the two still sleeping kids.

"Not long." He told her with a charming smirk, which was a blatant lie. He leg was killing him and the pain roused him over an hour ago. He was kind of hoping if he purposely lied with a smile on his face, she would think he was joking.

She wasn't buy it. "Your leg hurts doesn't it?" She asked, zeroing right in on his discomfort.

"A little." He tried to downplay the throbbing pain screaming up and down his leg.

She frowned and sat up, reading the discomfort in his eyes like huge flashing sign. "You shouldn't be in that much pain, I'm getting Cass to take a look."

She moved off towards the doctor's office before he could protest.

'Damn.' He pouted, knowing Cassidy would flip when Buffy told her about the previous night's midnight stroll. Not to mention being slightly miffed how well Buffy could see threw his words. At the same time, he actually found it a little arousing, not that the pain in his leg let the thought travel very far.

A few minutes later, a very scowly Cass stood beside him. "Walking to the cafe? Are you mentally deficient in some way?" The irate MD exaggerated to him in slow bold words, "You. Have. A. Broken. Leg!"

Angel shrunk back a little, a scowl of his own firmly in place. "I'm fine." He mumbled, feeling like a kid caught breaking a vase while playing inside.

"You're not fine." Buffy countered, seeing it in his eyes.

Cass shook her head and grabbed something from her pocket as she walked to the foot of the bed.

The cast was open on the bottom to allow access to the toes, while Angel was arguing with Buffy about how he felt, Cass poked a dull pointed dental pick into his big toe, figuring he'd automatically pull his leg back from the pinch of pain.

He didn't even notice.

'Not good.' Cass thought, pinching his toe harder to gauge a response from him to no avail.

"You can't feel this?" Cassidy interjected between the bickering couple.

The both turned to look at her.

"Feel what?" Angel asked, just now noticing Cass doing something to his toe.

"Can you move your leg?" She asked, watching him carefully.

"Of course I can." he retorted, knowing full well he walked to the cafe and back last night.

"Well?" Cass insisted, waiting for him to do so.

He cringed, knowing it was going to hurt like hell.

Cass watch him move his leg, and saw the pain washing out his features.

"Move your toes." she asked a second later.

After he didn't comply she told him again.

"I did." he replied back, then suddenly realized if she was asking again, that meant they hadn't responded.

Buffy's eyes widened, "Cass?" She asked, wanting to know what the doctor was thinking.

"I suspect you could have re-broken the leg...either from walking on it way before you should have or from fighting with Drusilla. It could also be compartment syndrome, characterized by severe swelling which causes restricted blood flow to the leg. That leads to loss of muscle strength, numbness and increased pain. I'll need an x-ray to confirm, which I'm doing right now." Cass turned to grab the portable x-ray machine.

Angel sighed, not enjoying his morning so far. "Great, that just means I'll be stuck in bed longer."

Buffy shook her head, "You did it to yourself, unless fighting caused it, then that wouldn't be on you...but you should have spoke up sooner, told Cass."

"I'm not used to being this weak." He muttered, feeling lost without his powers.

"You're not weak." Buffy assured, kissing his cheek. She was worried about him, about how this injury could lead to him being crippled for life. "You're human...and just too damn stubborn for your own good."

He rolled his eyes, "Duly noted."

When Cass came back, Buffy took the just waking kids upstairs to the nursery to change and then down to the cafe for breakfast. Whether or not it was scientifically reasonable, neither Buffy or Angel wanted their babies anywhere near the x-ray equipment.

...

Half an hour later Cass was examining the x-rays, shaking her head in frustration as she did.

Connor slipped quietly into her office as she looked them over.

"Bad?" He asked, having just talked to his dad and finding out what was going on.

"Not good." She replied, pointing to a thin line he could barely see. "His tibia bone did indeed shift out of alignment. When I set the leg, I forwent surgery and set it with the cast knowing his healing would mend the break in a few days. However, now he's healing at a human pace, which means the cast isn't enough. I need to re-set the break with plates and pins."

"He needs surgery." Connor repeated downcast.

"Yeah, if he wants the bone to mend properly and avoid walking with pain and a limp for the rest of his life." She agreed.

"When?" The young man asked, worried about his father having surgery.

"As soon as I can." She stressed.

...

An hour later, Xander was watching the kids as Buffy and Connor sat with Angel while Cass prepped him for surgery.

Tension was high in the room, Buffy and Connor both worried and Angel doing his best to not show the blatant panic on his face. He'd never had surgery, had bullets removed and bones set, but not official anesthesia-then-under-the knife surgery.

The thought made him nervous as all hell. 'I shouldn't need this, I should be healed and home by now.' He thought frustrated with his own humanity.

Likewise, Buffy's mind was whirling over this too.

Since the day she met Angel, he'd always been a pillar of strength and power. He seemed invincible in her eyes when she was younger, immortal and nearly unkillable by all who tried. She was chronically aware of her husband's mortality by now, he wasn't exactly known as Mr. Stay Safe, but he'd always had his healing. Injuries never lasted long with him, within days he'd be fully recovered and her anxiety would be for nothing. Except now he didn't have his healing, and depending on how soon his demon side re-manifested, he could be bedridden for months.

Truthfully, she wasn't used to seeing Angel vulnerable, and the thought scared her.

Connor paced, feeling the nervous tension practicality flooding the room from his dad and step-mom. He rode the wave of disquiet on a precariously thin surfboard. If he wasn't in control and careful, he'd tumble off and drown in the sea of foreboding.

He didn't think breaking down would help the situation much, or his parents.

At last, Cass came in to remove the cast.

Angel requested rather stubbornly he stay awake until the actual surgery began, he wasn't looking forward to being put under sedation.

Buffy held Angel's hand reassuringly as Cassidy went to work removing the plaster cast she so recently installed with a vibrating cast saw.

The redhead felt three sets of eyes watching her every move, all three expecting the saw to suddenly slice into the skin and cause a fountain of blood to gush from the wound.

"It's a cast saw, uses vibrations to cut, not a spinning blade. It only works against a hard surface, skin won't be cut." she assured, quickly demonstrating on her hand. "See, no problem."

The three relaxed a bit, but the tension was still high.

It took Cass nearly fifteen minutes to cut the entire cast length along the seams and then underlying cotton protector. When she was done she used a special prying tool to loosen the two separated sides and pry them open.

Angel visibly paled from pain as the cast shifted the misaligned bones.

"I can still sedate you for this." Cassidy told him, noticing his discomfort.

With a clenched jaw he shook his head no.

Shaking her own head at his stubbornness, she worked quickly and as gently as she could, finally prying the top half off to reveal the ugly wound beneath.

Angel quickly looked away, nauseated by the swollen and angry red wound.

"Oh." Cass whispered, her MD eye picking up on a lot of bad signs. Not noticeable, the rampant infection.

"What?" Buffy asked, seeing the crestfallen look the doctor gave at the sight of the injury.

"Well, before I can realign the bones, I need to disinfect the area. At the time, infection wasn't an issue with demon healing, however not the case now." She clarified as she went to grab a pile of antibiotics. This worried her, he shouldn't have that bad on an infection in such a short time.

Connor sat beside Angel, telling him about the hockey game that aired the night before to help keep his mind off the pain.

When Cass had the items she needed, she quickly whispered something in Buffy's ear while Angel's gaze was towards his son.

She nodded, hating betraying her husband, but knowing it was for his own good.

She could tell he was trying to focus on Connor's well detailed play of the game, but was in too much pain to really absorb any of it. She sent Connor a quick 'I-need-his-attention-over-here glance then slipped a finger under his chin to turn Angel's head towards her. "I love you." She said to him, pressing her lips to his in a very distracting manner.

He was a bit surprised at the sudden attention, but easily let himself be distracted. He never did pass up kissing his wife.

"I'm sorry." She apologized as she pulled back, running her finger down his cheek and sending him numerous apologetic glances.

He looked confused a moment then realized what was going on. He turned and saw Cass just pulling a syringe from his IV line.

Cass had used Buffy to divert his attention so she could drug him much against his will to be sedated.

"Traitors." he accused, but without feeling anger or betrayal. He knew they were only doing what they thought was right, and as much as he wanted to deny it, he was grateful. He could use a break form blinding agony for a while.

It only took moments for the strong drug to circulate throughout his system, his eyes growing heavier by the second.

"Love you." He whispered tiredly as Buffy kissed his cheek.

"I'll be right here when you wake up." She soothed as he tried to fight to stay awake.

Cass placed a mask over his nose and mouth to ensure a steady flow of oxygen and anesthetic gases thought out the procedure.

Angel gave a weak attempt to resist, but lost as his body relaxed.

Buffy smiled at him, watching as his eyes lost focus and slipped shut.

Angel's last thought was now wonderful it was to be pain free as he vacationed in the blissful land of unconsciousness for the next 4 hours.

...

Buffy and Connor waited impatiently as Cassidy worked to clean, repair and set the broken bone. They were in the OR with her, all scrubbed and masked to prevent infection and bacteria from spreading.

Neither had any real medical knowledge, but Cass had them watching the monitors and helping pass her tools as she worked.

The doctor looked up as the oxygen sensor alarmed, indicating Angel's breathing was too shallow to deliver adequate oxygen to his lungs.

While Buffy and Connor looked panic stricken, Cassidy calmly removed his oxygen mask and quickly intubated him.

The two inexperienced with medicine watched with a matching cringe as Cass grabbed a long dull bladed metal tool and slid the tapered end into Angel's mouth to hold down the tongue and open the airway. She quickly followed it with a nickel wide plastic tube, guiding it into his throat and into his trachea.

After securing it in place with tape, she removed the oxygen and anesthetic tube from the face mask and attached it to the new internal tube.

Within a few seconds, the alarm died down as Angel breathed more regularly.

"What is that?" Connor asked, having never seen an instrument like the metal blade she just used.

"It's called a larygoscope, it secures and moves the tongue to get a clear view of the glottis." At his boggled look she simplified, "To see the entrance of the vocal cords, the windpipe, so I can direct the endotracheal tube to the proper location. It can't be used to assist breathing if it's not in the right place." She replied, getting back to setting Angel's leg.

"He can't breathe on his own?" Buffy asked, looking nervous.

"It's a side effect of anesthesia, breathing problem are common from the muscles relaxing. The tube will eliminate the risks. I should have done it earlier as a precaution." She told them as she installed the hardware to hold the broken bones together.

They nodded in understanding and the next two hours went by uneventfully as they watched and helped Cass operate.

...

After 4 hours of surgery, Cass removed the breathing tube and administered the drug to wake Angel up.

Buffy sat diligently by her husband's bedside as she awaited the drugs to rouse him. Eager to see him on this side of conscious and aware again.

Twenty minutes later, Angel's eyes fluttered open.

"Angel?" Buffy asked, leaning forwards. She ran her fingers along his jaw to get his attention.

He stared up at the ceiling, a grin spreading across his face. "Lookit all the wee holes." He giggled out, a slip of Irish accent in his voice.

Buffy raised an eyebrow, "Uhh..." She gaped, looking up at the very plain drop tiled ceiling and seeing nothing. 'Is he stoned?' she wondered.

Cassidy wandered up when she noticed Angel awaken. "Hey boss, how many fingers?" She asked, holding up three.

He grinned wider. "You're pretty." He flirted, looking at her grey eyes and mid-length red hair.

Buffy looked lethal at her.

"Ok, you have way to much pain meds. I'm just going to lower those." Cass realized and went to adjust his IV drip to a much lower dose. She sent Buffy a quick, 'sorry' and disappeared to her office before she got staked.

"Angel?" Buffy asked again, sitting in his line of sight as he watched Cass leave.

His eyes focused on her, looking more interested. "Hello beautiful." He smirked.

She smiled back at him, "Hello yourself." She leaned down and kissed his forehead.

"I could get used to that." He joked, liking the feeling.

"You should be already." She teased back.

"Why?" he asked. "Do I know you?"

Her smiled dissolved. "What? You...you don't remember me?" She questioned, a lump forming in her gut. "You're kidding with me right? Messing with my head, because I really don't appreciate it Angel."

He shook his head, "I don't...what happened...where am I?" Angel mumbled, looking around in confusion. Suddenly he jerked away from her, eyes wide without focusing and taking a defensive position.

"Hey it's ok. You're safe." She tried to calm him, but he backed away towards the edge of the bed.

"What's going on?" He asked, his mind blanking on him. The high from the pain meds receding and back filling with anxiety.

Despite his resistance, she grabbed his arm to keep him from backing off the bed and re-injuring himself if he fell. "Angel, relax. You had surgery to fix your leg. Cass said the anesthesia could fog your mind a little, cause temporary memory loss, maybe aggression."

"Cass? Surgery?" He questioned, looking around for anything familiar. "Who are you?"

"Buffy, your wife." She stated, sitting closer, pleading with her eyes he remembered her. "Can't you remember?" She asked, almost begging.

"I...I don't know. It's...fuzzy." He admitted, looking lost.

Running on instincts, she leaned forwards and brushed her lips against his, hoping it would jog his memory.

He backed away, but only for a second. His lips recognized the sensation of her lips. His head might not know her, but his heart certainly did.

He leaned into the kiss, his hand sliding up her neck to cup the back of her head and draw her closer.

"Major kissage, guess that means Angel's awake." Xander commented, seeing the kissing couple as he wandered into the Med-Ward to check in.

The two stopped abruptly and pulled apart, Angel looking up embarrassed.

Buffy promptly ignored her friend and turned back to her confused husband "Angel?" She asked again, looking into his eyes.

"I...umm...it's coming back, I think." He told her, the fog clearing in his head as the drugs wore off. Adrenalin from slight panic helping burn the chemicals in his blood faster.

"You remember me?" She asked, hopeful.

"Still fuzzy on the details." He admitted. At her fallen shoulders, he added, "But I do know I love you." He could feel it in his heart.

She smiled at him, "Yes, yes you do."

"My wife?" He questioned, looking deeply into those hazel green eyes. The idea of being married to someone so beautiful defiantly intrigued him.

She nodded, "Just over two years now."

He nodded, "Kids?" He thought he could remember that small firm body with a baby ripened belly and a warm motherly glow.

"Two." She answered proudly.

He grinned, "I'm a lucky man."

"You are." She agreed. "Can you remember them?"

"I think so...beautiful brown-eyed girl and a baby boy with his mom's good looks?"

She nodded, "That would be our little troublemakers."

"Am I missing something here?" Xander cut in, listening to the weird conversation.

Buffy looked towards her friend, "Angel's having a little memory problem, but he's getting better."

Angel wrapped an arm possessively around her waist and pulled her closer. "I don't like him do I?" He asked into her ear.

She swallowed a grin. "You have your moments."

Xander nodded, "Ok, well then I'll leave you to alone. I really don't need to sit threw a rendition of the Buffy and Angel story...I've lived it, and trust me...once was scarring enough." He headed back upstairs to inform Giles and Dawn that Angel was awake and recovering.

"How are you feeling?" Buffy asked her husband, turning but making no move to escape the arm around her waist.

"My throat is sore, dry. Little stiff in the joints." He admitted, feeling like he could tell her anything.

She leaned forwards and grabbed a cup of water off the nearly table.

He thanked her and downed the glass, the cool water soothing his raw throat.

"Cass had to help you breathe with a tube, probably why your throat hurts." she pointed out.

He nodded, seeing the logic in that.

After a few moments he spoke again, "Where are we?" The place felt familiar, but not like home.

She looked up at him, his brown eyes struggling to recognize anything. "Lay down." She urged, figuring this soon after surgery he should be lying flat and resting as opposed to sitting up. He need time to purge the sedative and other drugs in his system.

He resisted at first, but she finally got him horizontal.

"We're at work." she answered his question. "Angel Investigations. We reopened your old detective agency, now it's growing into a world-wide organizations."

"Detective agency?" He asked, finding that sounding a little peculiar.

She could tell he was starting to fall asleep again. "We help the helpless. Those people who don't have anyone to turn to, turn to us."
She wasn't about to freak him out by saying they kill demons for a living. His head was scrambled enough, he didn't need a heart attack too.

"Sounds nice." He muttered, eyelids heavy.

"It is." she agreed, loving her job.

"Sleep." She insisted as he tried to fight it, running her fingers along his temple. "I'll be right here when you wake."

"Promise?" he asked, looking up at her.

"I promise." she agreed, sitting beside him in the small bed.

He shifted slightly, resting his head on her thigh.

She smiled sadly and ran her fingers threw his hair as he nodded off. 'God, I hope his memory is back when he wakes up.' She thought worriedly.

...

TBC