I do not own the dialog in Bold in this story, nor do I own any rights to the television show "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" or "Angel". They were created by Joss Whedon and belong to him, Mutant Enemy, Sandollar Television, Kuzui Enterprises, 20th Century Fox Television and the WB Television Network. Everything else is mine...all mine...

Clips taken from Buffy, Becoming Part 1 and Angel, The Prodigal.

September 1, 2007

"Hey." Angel greeted as he dropped down beside Buffy on their couch.

"Hey." She greeted back, putting down her magazine.

"So." Angel began, "Do you remember that talk we had about Ireland?" He knew she did, they've been talking monthly since he first brought it up.

"It's that time, isn't it?" She pouted, not wanting him to leave.

"Kinda is." He pressed, really feeling the pressure to go.

"Why now? Is there something special about Ireland in the fall?" She asked, try in vein again to get him to change his mind.

He thought a moment, "Well, winters there can be brutal, summer is a high traffic season, lots of tourists. Spring and fall are fairly mild weather, fall a bit drier than spring. I'll have to hike to get to my old village, rather not walk in a downpour."

"Yeah, please don't get sick when you're half a world away from me." She snuggled against his chest, the memory of him nearly dying back in March still haunted her occasionally.

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, hugging her closer. He knew the idea of him leaving was giving his wife anxiety and he hated it.

She wasn't thrilled about having her husband so far from her and for so long, they really hadn't spent more than a day or so apart since they starting dating again back in May 2004.

"I'll only be one button away." He assured, holding out his cellphone. "I'll call you everyday, twice a day…three if you want."

"Four?" She teased.

"Ok, now you're just being clingy…" he joked.

Instead of smiling, she frowned.

"Hey, I was kidding." He clarified, kissing her cheek, thinking he hurt her feelings."I'll call you ten times daily if you want."

"It's not that. It's…this will be the first time we've been apart…I won't have my favorite pillow for two whole weeks. How will I sleep? How will the kids react?"

He pulled her closer and rubbed her back, "How can you miss me if I don't go away? As for the kids, just tell them the truth, I'll be back before they know it."

"Yeah, that will go over well." She replied with a sarcastic glint.

"Then tell them daddy will bring them presents when he returns, but only if they behave for mommy when I'm gone." He suggested.

"Doesn't help my lack of pillow dilemma." She muttered.

"Use mine." He offered.

"What if I have some other kind of sleeping issues? Like the intimate kind?" She pouted.

He smirked evily, "We could try phone sex."

She slapped his chest, "Pervert."

He just grinned and went to kiss her cheek.

She turned her head so instead of her cheek, he kissed her lips.

She deepened the kiss, drawing him in, which didn't take much persuasion.

When they pulled apart for breath, she mumbled huskily, "You better make sure I'm well sated before you leave…or else I'm liable to come find you."

He smiled at that, "Count on it."

…

The following day Angel checked his suitcase again and finished packing a few last minute items.

"Buffy? Have you seen my red silk shirt?" He asked when he heard her enter the room behind him.

"Umm, no." She replied a little too fast.

He turned and raised an eyebrow at her, "Really?" He questioned with a doubtful expression.

Her pose betrayed her, "You can't take that one." She countered a moment later.

He folded his arms lightly across his chest, "And why's that?" He questioned.

She shrugged, "It's my favorite."

He grinned, "Mine too, thus why I was asking for it."

"Still can't have it." She denied, arms folding across her chest in defiance.

He chuckled and shook his head, "Fine, hold on to it for me then, I'll be wanting it when I get back." He relented, knowing she wanted it to 'snuggle' with while he was away.

…

After weeks of slowly letting 'daddy leaving' seep into the kids heads, it was finally time to head to the airport.

The car ride wasn't long, but the 'impending doom' Buffy felt thought the ride made it even shorter.

When Angel pulled the SUV into the closest available parking spot Buffy had to almost physically push her anxiety away. 'Gees, Buffy, get a hold of yourself…It's not like you didn't survive years away from Angel already.' That thought wasn't as comforting as she'd hoped it would have been.

She busied herself with unbuckled the kids from their car-seats as Angel grabbed his suitcase and carry on bag.

The walk into the airport was mostly silent between the adults, but the kids were chatting away at all the new sights and sounds.

Angel halted, scooped up his daughter and stood at the railing with Katie held tightly in his arms, her little feet resting on the banister as she stood and watched in awe at the planes landing and taking off.

Buffy watched with an uneasy feeling, Liam's hazel green eyes glued to the planes as they slid across the sky back and forth.

"Daddy, fly that?" The two and a half year old asked.

He smiled and kissed her cheek, "In one, just a passenger honey, I leave the flying to the professionals."

"It scary?" She asked, chocolate brown eyes wide.

He shrugged, "A little."

The idea that something scared her daddy was frighting to her.

At her look of fear he quickly changed his answer, "But they are completely safe, no need to worry, I'll be back before you know it."

"Promise?" She asked, not happy about her daddy not being there to tuck her in at night or read her stories.

He picked her up off the railing and hugged her tight while continuing to walk to the terminal, "Promise." He agreed.

He heard Buffy grumble 'You better be' under her breath.

…

At last, his bag was checked and he had his boarding pass. Now he stood at the line for security and knew this was the worst part, saying goodbye to his family.

"You could still change you mind you know." Buffy tried, hating this more every second.

"Wish I could." He confessed. He didn't want to go…but something was pulling at his conscious, he needed this, whether he wanted it or not.

"Be safe." She urged.

"As houses." He replied, bending to kiss her.

She wouldn't let go of his lips, almost hoping to convince his to stay with her tongue in a way without words.

He regrettably pulled away. "I love you, nothing will ever change that." He whispered, kissing her lips, then down her cheek to her neck. It was as close to goodbye as he dared to say.

She nodded, a tear slipped from her eyes but her hand wiped it away before he could notice.

He knelt and drew Katie into his arms, a second later Liam too. He hugged them tightly, knowing he would miss them something fierce.

"Daddy loves you more than you'll ever know." He said to them, both of them in tears at the prospect of daddy leaving.

"You read bedtime story!" Katie cried.

"Mom tells excellent stories." He countered.

"No, you!" She sniffled.

He grinned, "Ok, then I will. I can't use my phone on the plane, but I'll call the second I land. I'll read to you over the phone, Ok?" He appeased.

She sighed, she shoulder falling like Buffy's did when she was upset. "I guess."

He laughed inwardly, 'She's so much like Buffy it's scary sometimes.' He thought.

He turned to his son, "You'll be the man of the house for a few weeks, Liam, you up for it?" He asked the almost two year old.

Liam blinked and a tear ran down his face, "Daddy stay!" He sniffled.

Angel heart wrenched in his chest, "I'll be home before you know it, take care of your mom and sister, ok buddy?"

Liam didn't really understand the request, but nodded, tears still stinging his eyes.

Angel stood and handed Liam back to Buffy, the baby immediately latched on her to and buried his face into her shoulder.

Katie wrapped her arms around Angel's leg and refused to let go.

"I'll call as soon as I can." He told his wife, "If you need me, call whenever, day or night."

She nodded, pouting at full power.

He leaned down and kiss her lips, "Hey, I'll have none of that. I want the last image of my wife for two whole weeks to be a happy face, not a frown."

She relented and gave him a smile, it didn't quiet reach her eyes, but it was the best she could muster under the circumstances.

"That's my girl." He grinned at her attempt.

"Always." She whispered back.

As gently as he could, he pried his daughter off his leg and Buffy held her hand while Angel grabbed his carry on.

"Love you." He waved, and headed through the gate before his resolved failed and he went running back.

Buffy would have waved back, but the kids occupied her arms. Once he was gone, she held Katie's hand tightly and walked back towards the car with Liam resting on her hip.

"Come on, we can watch daddy's plane take off from outside." She bribed as she walked the reluctant toddler dragging her feet beside her.

…

Standing at the same railing she had with Angel just under an hour ago, she stood with her two children, her arms wrapped tightly about them as they stood on the railing looking out at the planes.

"Which one daddy?" Katie asked, looking at all the planes.

Buffy looked over and read the numbers on the tail end, "Hmm…that one." She pointed to the one of the far end.

After a few minutes, his plane began to back out of the station and position for take off.

Buffy looked on with heavy anxiety as the plane carrying the love of her life sped down the runway.

A second later, it soared up into the sky.

A sigh escaped her lips, knowing he was safely off the ground.

They watched until it disappeared into the clouds.

"Two weeks, then we'll be here watching daddy's plane land, Ok guys?"

The two youths pouted then began to cry.

'Oh, the next two weeks are going to suck.' She thought tiredly as she carried her children back to the SUV.

Almost two weeks later - September 12

Buffy tied the short, nearly see through robe and opened the door for Willow to enter.

"Ok, I'm ready." The slayer told herself and the witch.

She had been trying to talk Willow into sending her to Ireland for almost a week, and now it was finally happening; she was more than a little nervous. She knew her Wicca friend was a very capable witch, but still, there was a lot of distance for something to go wrong. She waiting until the kids were in bed, an early night at that, and figured she could be back by late the following morning Cleveland time, figuring the 5 hour time difference would only help.

"Enjoy Ireland." The redhead winked, knowing Buffy was likely to see nothing beyond Angel's hotel room window, if that.

Buffy pushed the nervousness away and focused on the fact she was seconds from seeing Angel after nearly two weeks of nothing but hearing his disembodied voice over the phone. She craved for his feel, his warmth, his touch.

With a splash of vertigo, she suddenly found herself standing in darkness.

Thinking she left Cleveland around 8pm, it would make it 1am in Galway. Angel should be asleep by now…unless he's been running on his more demonic sleeping patterns…

'No' Buffy decided, 'he always calls me during daylight hours here, and the place he's been visiting requires light to find.' The internal debate turned out to be for naught anyways, she knew he was here. She could feel him.

Slowly making her way across the unfamiliar room, her eyes adjusting enough to avoid walking into anything, she spotted the bed, and a familiar form lying prone on it.

With a smile on her face, she slowly slid onto Angel's exposed back, running her hands along his arms as her lips trailed kisses along his spine.

'Since when does Angel sleep on his stomach?' she wondered briefly.

His muscles tightened under her touch as he woke. "Hmm? Buffy?" he wondered sleepily, half sitting up and looking over his shoulder and spotting his wife, who was currently straddling his back instead of being in Cleveland with the kids.

"Hi." She smiled and leaned down to plant a quick hello kiss his lips.

Before he could reply she pushed down on his shoulders, forcing him to lay flat as her fingers began to message the tense muscles she could feel lingering there.

He groaned out his approval as she kneaded her digits into his upper back, bringing instant relief to his sore torso.

"How'd you get here?" He asked when his thought finally got around to acknowledging reason.

"Willow teleported me." She answered, adjusting her position to add more pressure to a problem zone.

"Why?" He moaned out, her fingers sending numerous happy signals to his brain.

"Cus I missed you silly." She answered, placing a kiss on the back of his neck.

"Liar." He muffled into his pillow, "You're just horny."

She grinned and pushed her hands along his arms, rubbing the aches away. "I can be both." She countered.

He made a reply; it wasn't a legible word but more like a relaxed sigh.

He relaxed further under her steadily moving fingers, letting everything but her touch just fade away.

After a few minutes, Buffy realized his deep and steady breaths and slow heartbeat were a dead giveaway to him having fallen asleep.

'Ok…usually takes a lot more than that for Angel to pass out.' She thought with a mild case of worried. 'Especially if he knows I'm on the sexual prowl.'

She glanced down at his face, but it was mostly buried in his pillow.

With a yawn on her own, she laid down half beside him, half atop, resting her head between his shoulder blades and getting comfy for the night. A week and a half of chasing the kids around by day and spending her nights unable to sleep without her lover's warm body beside her, she was more than understanding why Angel conked out so quickly. She felt her body melting off to sleep, content and happy to have his warm flesh against her cheek. Her eyes drooped shut as she listened to his steady heartbeat beneath her ear.

…

Galway, 6:30 am

Dark brown eyes slid open as the sunlight seeped across the floor. Angel decided he felt considerably better today that he did yesterday morning or any morning actually since he left home almost two weeks ago. His brain was just about to ask why that was when he felt someone run their fingers through his hair.

He knew that touch. 'Buffy.'

He had honestly thought he had been dreaming of Buffy giving him one of her bliss inducing messages last night, apparently he hadn't been.

He rolled over more comfortably onto his back, causing her to groan at the loss of her pillow, but his chest took its place a second later.

She settled and kissed over his heart, running her fingers over his well defined pecks.

"I thought I was dreaming last night." He spoke softly, tracing her back with his fingers and making her shiver with delight.

"No fantasy Buffy here, I'm the real deal." She said while leaning down and kissing him good morning.

"Sure feels like it." he grinned.

"Mmm, I think I know what I've been craving for now." Buffy smirked while licking the taste of him off her lips.

He chuckled, pulling her down for another.

After a short tongue war, they broke apart. Buffy resting her head under his chin while his fingers caressed her arms.

"That all I get?" He asked grinning something lustful, "I'm a starving man here, and all you give me is a taste?"

"In polite society you start with an appetizer." She scolded playfully.

"But we're not in society, we're in a bedroom, and I'm with my wife, and I want the whole buffet." He finished by rolling her under him and assaulting her with kisses.

She laughed and kisses back when she could, 'This is more like it.' She thought happily, having hoped for this last night.

"Please tell me you brought protection." He begged into her ear.

"From what? Do I have to fight something?" She asked, playing.

He rolled his eyes, "You know what I mean." He insisted, kissing along her neck.

She frowned when she realized he was serious and pulled back, "You don't have any? You always have some!" She countered.

He sighed heavily, "Why would I bring condoms on a trip without my wife?"

"In case I decided to convince Willow to teleport me here." She automatically replied.

Shaking his head, he rolled off her. "I'll go find some." He voiced, about to very quickly go do just that.

"No." she pulled him back into bed before he could fully leave it.

He turned to her and in all seriousness asked, "Do you want another baby right now?"

She looked around the room a moment as she pondered the question, than regrettably shook her head no. 'Yes someday...but not right now.'

"There are other things we could do…" she teased with a sinful smile as her hand snaked towards his arousal under the sheet.

"Nothing that wouldn't lead directly to that." He countered. Knowing if he started down that path, he was going the whole distance.

"Just because we make love doesn't mean I'll 100% get pregnant." she suggested.

"Let's not temp fate. Five minutes" he promised, "there is a little shop down the road, I'll grab some rubbers."

She sighed, knowing he was right and nodded, "Hurry?" she asked with a little more tease.

He threw on some clothes and grabbed his wallet.

"Be right back, "Tá grá agam duit." (I love you) He said as he kissed her, then vanished from the room.

"To gram do? Huh?" She wondered as she wrapped the white sheet around her somehow nude form and walked to the small window facing the street. 'I haven't heard him speak Gaelic since the night before our wedding.' She thought smiling at the foreign words. She had to admit, they sounded better when he wasn't slurring from too much drink.

Glancing out, she laughed to herself as she saw Angel jogging rather quickly down the road. 'Wonder how that feels' she giggled again, remembering how aroused he was a few minutes ago.

When he disappeared within a store, her eyes focused on the scene outside, the beautiful view of Galway in the early morning. "Wow." She whispered, looking at the greening fields and rolling hills, off to the left she could see the ocean. 'So this is what he saw every morning back in the day...minus the cars.'

She glanced down and saw him sprinting back up the road, a bag gripped tightly in his hand. She grinned and went back into bed to wait his imminent return.

A few minutes later he slipped back into the room, only slightly out of breath and already ripping the box out of the bag and tearing it open.

"Took long enough." She teased.

Angel rolled his eyes, "Gil, he likes to talk…too much when a man's in a rush." He explained as he shed his clothes and jumped back into bed with her.

"Gil?" She asked.

"Explain later" he said quickly, his mouth descending over hers as the passion of a few minutes ago quickly rekindled.

Now with adequate protection, they made love with reckless abandon, both satisfying the hunger of separation for far too long.

…

Once their lust was pleasantly content, they lay together in comfortable silence, just enjoying the feel of each other.

"What haven't you been telling me?" Buffy asked out of the blue.

"What?" He tried to ask convincingly, but she saw right through him.

"I know you've been keeping something from me; I could hear it in your voice over the last few days. I didn't press, because I figured you'd tell me…" She confronted him.

"I was going to…just…after I got home." He answered, suddenly finding his fingers fascinating.

She hooked her right hand under his chin and forced his eyes to meet hers. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing" He answered a little too quickly. Feeling her eyes boring into him he continued, "I just…I knew I'd be facing my own internal demons on this trip, I hadn't exactly planned on meeting them in person." He cryptically offered.

"What do you mean?" she probed, curious and worried.

Angel looked away a moment, his thoughts a whirl of unpleasant memories.

"Casey O'Mally" Angel spoke, "He was my best friend in life, until I killed him. He was the first person I ever sired. He joined Darla and I when we razed the village, took great pleasure in it too. When Darla got bored, we ditched him, figuring he'd fall to the slayer…turns out he didn't."

"He's still here?" She asked, understanding if this man was created by him, her husband would feel responsible for the vampire's actions over the years.

"Was." He whispered, obviously not taking it very well.

"You dusted him?" she fished.

He nodded, slowly and with effort.

She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his neck, "I'm so sorry Angel, why didn't you tell me?"

He wrapped his arms around her, drawing comfort and support. "It was something I needed to do myself. I created him, it was my job to end him. To give my best friend the peace he should have had over 200 years ago."

She pulled back and looked into her Angel's eyes. There was obvious grief, but a sizable amount of relief it was over. She ran her fingers lovingly down his cheek, and then placed a single kiss on his forehead. "Don't blame yourself, you didn't have a soul, no choice but to be evil then."

"I know. That's not the issue here." He dismissed.

"Then what?" She pried.

He took a deep breath and sighed it back out. "After I left in 1753, Mal stole my name, used it to terrorize this village, my village. For generations, the name Liam O'Connor has been that akin to the devil. He killed so many, for so long…just to spite me for abandoning him. I know I shouldn't feel guilty over his actions, but he used my name, all the blood he spilled, it's on my hands Buffy."

She shook her head, "You can't say that Angel, you didn't even know. Besides, you stopped him. That's what counts."

He snorted, "Yeah, 254 years after the fact…"

"You acknowledged the issue and you dealt with it…what more can you do? You brought justice to those he killed, he will never hurt another human. It's over Angel, just let it be over." She reasoned.

He nodded slowly, knowing she was right, but his heart still clenched painfully.

After a moment of silence she asked, "Are you coming home now?" Eager to have him back.

He pondered the idea, knowing he found the cemetery he came to find, but had not yet mustered the courage to enter. Could he just leave? Or did he need to finish it?

"Not yet." He decided, "There's one more thing I need to do."

"What?" She asked.

He was silent a moment, then replied, "Visit my family."

She nodded, realizing why he had wanted to come alone. He held the guilt of killing his family with him since his soul was restored. He'd never asked for their forgiveness, he never could bring himself to face them…or rather their eroding graves.

Angel warred with his thoughts for a while, trying to decide what to do about Buffy. Should he ask her to come with him? Or ask her to stay here or go home?

When Buffy's stomach made an unhappy growl he chuckled. "Like to try some good ol'fashion Irish breakfast?" He asked his hungry wife.

She giggled at him.

"What?" He asked, confused.

"Over the past two weeks, you've sounded more Irish each day." She accused with a grin.

"Have I?" He asked, not noticing in the slightest that his Irish brogue was coming back full tilt.

"Oh yeah, big time."

He shrugged, "Well this is where I learned to talk."

Her stomach made another growling noise.

"Speaking of talk, lets get that quieted down shall we?" He asked as he rolled out of bed.

She glanced over at his bare form and frowned. "When did that happen?" she asked, getting up and running her finger across a fading scar on his back.

"Yesterday." He dismissed.

She suddenly realized why he fell asleep so fast last night. "You were hurt."

"Mostly bumps and bruises, but you made those go away." He tried to cover with a kiss.

"A knife wound isn't a bump." She scolded him, moving back and folding her arms in front of her in anger that he could have been killed and she didn't even know it.

He sighed, "It's not like I planned to get stabbed in the back by my former best friend." He defended, pained by the action more than the injury itself.

"I'm sorry" she apologized for being snippy at him, "It's just…"

"I know, you hate when I get hurt." He replied, pulling her against him in a tight hug.

She nodded against his chest. "I don't want to lose you."

"You won't." He insisted, "Now lets get some breakfast, ok?" he asked to let the subject drop and move on with their day.

She nodded but quickly realized the only outfit she had was a nearly see through robe and some four-leaf clover undergarments that were defiantly not outside-the-bedroom suitable. "Oh, I…umm…don't have clothes."

"I could live with that." He smirked.

"You're ok with all the other men seeing every bare part of me?" She countered.

His lustful grin fell from his lips, "On second thought, we need to get you covered up."

He turned and dug through his suitcase, quickly finding a wrapped box. "Here, I was going to wait until I got home to give you this…but now seems appropriate."

She eagerly took the gift and unwrapped it, pulling out a knit cream sweater.

"Wow, this is beautiful." She spoke as she examined the intricate knitting and details of the thread.

"It's called an Aran sweater, named from the island they originated from, off the West coast in the mouth Galway bay. They were traditionally worn by fisherman, since the raw wool is water repellant and helps keep the body warm and dry. Most sweaters have about 100,000 stitches. The designs are culturally important, each pattern specific to a clan or region. Although I'm actually older than these traditional sweaters, I still thought you'd look amazing in one." He finished with a grin.

"I love it, thank you." She smiled and kissed his cheek. She quickly put on her scandalously scant clothing and pulled the long nearly knee length sweater around her shoulders, buttoning it down and posing for him. "Presentable for the public?"

He grinned, tugging on his own garments. "I've seen you flaunt shorter shirts, but it'll work until we go shop for something more suitable to the weather."

She slipped on her slippers and looked down at herself. "Can I really walk outside like this?" she wondered aloud. Remembering her fashion conscious days.

"You look beautiful, and if anyone says otherwise, I'll knock em out." He coaxed, pulling her hand towards the door, eager for food as well.

"Well, I guess they can't gawk if they're unconscious." She figured with a smirk.

…

A few minutes later, they were seated at a booth downstairs in the small tavern, glancing over a menu.

"Angel me lad, top of the morning to ya." Gil, the establishment owner, greeted the familiar face with a smile.

"And a fine morning to you lass." He added seeing Buffy sitting almost hidden beside Angel against the wall. Doing her best to hide her not wearing of much more than a long sweater.

"A very good morning it is Gil." Angel greeted back, a smile painted to his face.

They ordered and ate while talking, filling each other in on a few things they'd left out over the phone. They enjoyed brief excursions away from home, when it was just the two of them. As much as they loved their children, time off was bliss.

After the meal, he excused himself to wash up before he took her on an improve shopping trip to buy some sensible clothes for his wife.

As soon as Angel left, Gil wandered back up to her. She noticed he'd been sending her glances now and again for the last half hour.

"Haven't seen you in these parts before lass." Gil commented as he approached.

"First time in Ireland." She replied, not liking the slight hostile tone he gave her.

"To your liking?"

"Yeah, Angel's told me a lot, I already feel like I know the place."

"He's a good lad, being telling me about his family back in the states." He revealed, looking for a wince or a gasp of shock.

Instead he got a, "Oh, good things I hope." She replied with a smirk.

"You know he's a happily married man then lass?" He asked coldly.

"Considering I'm his wife, yeah, I do." She answered pulling the long sweater back from her hand to reveal her matching wedding band.

His eyes widened in realization, "Oh, you must be Buffy. Very sorry, it must be admitted the wrong impression was made. As they say, an open mouth often catches a closed fist." With that said he quickly left the young woman alone, embarrassed he'd though Angel picked up some loose female company to ease his manly needs.

He'd known something was different the minute he'd seen Angel rush into the shop that morning, grabbing a box of condoms like the devil himself was chasing him. The grin that never left Angel's lips all morning had been a firm indicator his purchase hadn't gone to waste.

Of course hearing tales of the lovely Buffy had been the only time Gil had seen a smile light up the dark haired man's eyes at all in the nearly two weeks he'd been renting the room upstairs.

He didn't think it was a stretch to believe the handsome young man in question had found someone to keep him company. Of course he should have known by the absolute devotion Angel had spoken of Buffy with that the idea of him cheating was impossible to even consider.

While Gil fled from Buffy he almost literally ran into Angel.

"Ahh, what a fine woman you have there lad. Her description does no justice to her beauty. No wonder that grin has yet to leave, nice to know you can smile." He said quickly.

"Thank you..." Before he could converse further, Gil excused himself and retreated into the kitchen.

Shaking his head he returned to Buffy and extended his hand, "Care to join me for a walk?" He asked flashing her a warm smile.

"As long as a store that sells pants is on the way." She emphasized, pulling the sweater down as it rode up a little.

He laughed, "There is."

…

A short while later, much to Angel's dismay, Buffy was fully covered head to toe with the latest Irish fashion.

Although he had to admit, she looked wonderful in the tight black pants, sturdy leather boots, and novelty emerald green scoop neck long sleeve Claddagh shirt. The sweater he gave her went very well with the outfit and the new wool coat she wouldn't leave without.

Unable to deny her anything, he purchased the outfit she wanted and promised they'd stop by on their way back from the cemetery to pick up some toys for the kids. He insisted he already purchased a sinful number, but she wouldn't hear him.

...

After what felt like hours walking on 'trails' that weren't suitable for a rabbit she halted abruptly when she collided with Angel's back as he stopped short.

"Hey, why did you stop?" She asked, peeking around his broad back. "Oh." she added a second later seeing the grossly overgrown cemetery that was their destination.

She could practically feel the tension rolling off him in waves. She reached out and found his hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

He turned and looked down at her, sending her a weak smile and accepting her support by tightening her hand in his.

Hand in hand they moved forward, crossing under the fallen archway and into the the birthplace of Angelus.

She had no idea how he knew where to go. Most of the graves were so badly eroded their names were nothing but minor indents on the surface of crumbling stone.

It was obvious no one had maintained this graveyard in over 200 years, letting the elements and plant life ruin the once pristine markers.

He paused and frowned, not seeing what he'd come to find. 'They must be buried at the family plot.' He guessed, not seeing his parents, or siblings graves. As he turned, one grave did catch his eye.

Angel halted again and Buffy looked over at him. "Angel?" She asked, looking down at the grave in front of him with a pit in her gut.

"This was my grave." he whispered, his mind consumed by images of sleeping withing this very soil, the echo of his funeral sounding in his ears, the heartbeats of his parents and sister as they stood in this very spot some 254 years ago.

He felt himself rising from this now enclosed hole, looking right, the first being he saw was Darla, standing where Buffy stood now. The gravedigger, Carrick O'Callaghan, his first victim drained not 5 feet away, he could taste the blood in his mouth.

150 years of death assaulted him, faces of countless victims suddenly flashed across his eyes.

Angel gasped and faltered back from his deathbed, soul and demon screaming in agony, his mind lost for a moment in memory. Both Angelus's and Angel's memories blurred together, the sins of the demon being branded painfully by the soul.

"Angel!" Buffy panicked, realizing this place was doing something to him. She grabbed his arm and pulled him back, shaking him and trying to wake him from his dazed stare.

"I see it, I feel it..." he rambled, gripping Buffy's arm tightly as if she held him to this plane, as if he let go, he'd be lost forever.

Angel looked up and was greeted with hundreds of eyes staring back at him, the dead accusing eyes of all those he killed on this very island. Angelus's victims...his victims...all with hate and vengeance shining in their dead eyes.

"Oh god..." he whispered, glancing around at all the people he remembering murdering, some for food, most for pleasure.

Angel had dealt with 100 years of guilt and suffering for the demon's actions...but it was truly Angelus feeling them now. His demon finally feeling the weight of the soul it was merged with, the weight of his guilt crushing down on him.

"Angel!" Buffy yelled to him snap him out of it, the grip on her arm almost painful.

He looked at her, his eyes wider than she'd ever seen before, in all honesty, she'd never seen fear like this in him. "Do you see them?" he asked, almost desperate. He demon cowering as the dead stared him down.

She looked around but saw nothing outside a cloudy cool morning in an old cemetery. "See what?" she asked, afraid he was going insane on the spot.

"I feel them...they're everywhere..." He muttered, looking but seeing something she didn't...couldn't.

A moment later she felt something too, something real and tangible...actual vampires. 'That's a lot of angry fang-boys' She thought with a pang of worry, seeing at least 2 dozen vamps materializing from around the area.

She looked at the sky again and realized even though it was day, the overcast sky completely blocked out the sun...setting the stage for a perfect ambush.

Damn Ireland weather.

Angel's wide eyes stared at the approaching demons, his memories not finding where exactly these ones came from.

Buffy slammed into him suddenly, knocking him back. "Those ones are real honey...so are their very sharp claws." She forced on her husband, trying to get him to fight them and not stand and watch as they shred him into flesh ribbons.

Reality pushed illusion aside as the first wave of demons attacked. The will to survive kicked in as the demon recouped and Angel's face shifted for battle.

Buffy breathed a sigh of relief when Angel snapped back to realityland, although finding out a second later she had no stake or weapon quickly sent the 'oh crap' level back up.

The first vampire was only three feet from her when she felt a sharpened stake press into her outstretched hand.

"Thanks Hun." She smiled and slammed the offering into the nearest blood-rat, dusting him instantly.

"Welcome." A young feminine voice replied with an Irish brogue that was defiantly not in Angel's deep tone.

Caught up in fighting the next three vampires that attacked, Buffy had to wait a few seconds before she stopped short and turned to see who had given her the stake.

For a second she could have sworn the young girl sitting on the grave behind her was Katie, but the girl was much older than her two year old daughter, pre-teens perhaps.

"Behind you." The dark haired girl pointed out and Buffy spun to take out the demon trying to gut her as her back was turned.

...

Angel bowled over the closest of three vamps and kicked the fangs right off a fourth when the creature tried to bite his leg.

Tearing a branch off a dead tree to the right of his grave, he began staking the remains of Mal's vampire 'army' left and right. Stealing a glance over towards Buffy satisfied him she was handling things just fine, even found a stake to help her out.

He turned when he felt another being behind him, and spun and came face to face with the stern hard face of his father.

Angel's eyes widened, "F-Father?" He stuttered, stepping back in utter shock.

A vampire noticed Angel's distraction and took the opportunity to attack. The force of the blow knocked Angel back and his head slammed backwards onto his gravestone, leaving a small trail of blood behind.

Angel's brown unfocused eyes gazed up horrified as his father's mirrored back at him. "Hello boy."

Looking up shocked at the parent he murdered 254 years ago, he felt his consciousness slip away.

...

"Angel!" Buffy yelled when she saw her husband fall, she too far and fighting her own battle to the death to offer help.

The girl sitting on the tomb behind her smiled slightly and looked heavenward. A moment later the thick clouds parted, washing the cemetery in bright sunlight.

The remaining dozen of so vampires screeched and scattered in vein as they were consumed by the flames that quickly ignited over their flesh.

Buffy barely noticed as she rushed over to her husband's prone form, gently shaking his shoulder and trying to rouse him.

"Angel!" She shook harder, getting the same absent response.

She whipped her head towards the girl now standing behind her. "Who are you? What happened to him?" Buffy demanded.

The young woman shook her dark head, and looked so much like Angel when she frowned. "Tis not for me to say...but I think you know."

The blond slayer looked the girl over, knowing it wasn't possible because the girl she was claiming to be died hundreds of years ago. "You can't be his sister Katherine, she'd dead." She denied.

The girl smiled, "Says the one who's died twice."

Buffy swallowed hard, knowing this young woman wasn't a demon, she felt nothing negative at all about her. Actually, the girl practically radiated goodness.

"What's wrong with him?" She asked Kathy, looking down at her husband's unconscious form. "Why can't I wake him?"

"Father needed a word with him." She answered cryptically.

"Wh-what?" Buffy asked, wanting more information, but when she looked up found herself alone.

...

TBC,,,