Chapter Fifteen
Susan pressed the play button on the C.D. player, which was sitting on the dresser right next to her neatly folded clothes. Cordy had probably been kind enough to leave them there for her. Susan was happy that Angel's friends had accepted her so well, especially when they had been so worried of Angel's well being.
She picked up the C.D. cover, which listed "Love Songs." There was a note inside from Wesley. "I've never seen Angel so happy before. It seems that the two of you are a part of fate. I hope that the Powers-That-Be have planned well for your happiness. When you are together it seems the words of these songs come alive. Enjoy your time together, Love, Wesley."
Susan left the music play while she went to shower in the joining room. She looked at herself in the mirror and decided to put on a little make-up, it seemed to make her feel a little special, although she felt that way anytime she was with Angel. As she finished at the mirror she turned and was startled to find Angel very quietly watching in the doorway.
"You look beautiful," he spoke so softly.
She could feel the love move through her body as she admired him in a black shirt and pants. "And you are so handsome," she put her arms around him and nuzzled into his neck. Angel looked into the mirror but gave a slight sigh when all he saw was Susy; he so much wanted to see them together. She turned toward his gaze and only seeing herself she realized that it made it seem like only a dream. She quickly turned back to Angel to come back to reality, but even then she had to wonder if it was all real, it certainly felt too good to be true.
"What do you want to do tonight?" Angel asked with a kiss.
"Let's just be together."
They spent the night doing that, just being together, never letting go of each other. Not saying very much, each one just feeling the presence of the other. They listened to the music together, danced together and raided the kitchen together. As the night moved on they went out to the hotel's garden court yard and lay on a blanket watching the stars as they very slowly moved through the skies. Suddenly a shooting start disappeared into the night."
"Did you make a wish?" Susan asked.
"I wished I could make love to you."
"So did I!"
Angel leaned over Susan and gave her a deep, intense kiss and as they parted she whispered, "I think it is time."
Angel reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out the vials that had been wrapped in tissue. "Are you sure?"
"I don't want it to ever end, but I need you - all of you."
They didn't know why they had to wait for an hour, but they did, still lying under the stars. Tucked in under his arm Angel could feel her heart beating against his ribs. He noticed the even beat, so consistent and reliable, but Susan moved to a sitting position and Angel could still feel the beat. He was starting to realize that it was not her heart he felt but his own. Suddenly he felt the need to gasp and he drew a breath into his lungs. Susan turned to him at the sound, "What's wrong?"
Angel took her hand and held it to his chest. "My God Angel, I can feel your heart beating, and your hand feels so warm." How he had wanted this for so long, now he felt like he had everything he needed ... his life and his love. He smothered her with kisses but suddenly Susan pulled away. "Your gift … Lorne said I was to give it to you after we drank from the vials. I have to get it!" She ran back into the building while he still lay on the ground feeling life come back into his body. The stars started to disappear as the sky started to lighten its way to the day.
Susan came back downstairs to find Angel standing in front of the mirror in the entrance. She slid her arms around him and he pulled her close.
"That is the reflection I like to see," he said.
"Me, too," she said as she held out her hand and opened it to reveal the pendant. The cross made of three square headed nails enclosed in a heart. It had obviously been hand made a very long time ago. "Angel, I never understood this gift before, but it must mean something special." He took the heart and cross in his fingers and realized there was no burning sensation as he held it. They walked back out into the garden and sat on the bench feeling the warmth of the morning sun. Susan took the pendant from him and reached around behind his neck to close the clasp. As he looked into her eyes he realized that they had done this exact same thing over two hundred and fifty years ago. And as they had done then, they lay down under the open sky, among the blooming primroses and made the kind of love that is made only when two become one in body, mind and soul.
"Angel, do you think they really can take us away from each other?"
"They probably can do anything "They" want to. If we can be brought back together after two and a half centuries, and I can come alive, even if it is for only a few hours by their doing, then I don't doubt 'Their' powers."
Already twenty-three hours had passed since they had swallowed the potion. Their time together had been consumed with each other. Even though they had expected it to be wild and uncontrolled it was in fact very gentle and somewhat familiar. They had made love in the garden, on the satin sheets, in the shower and again they lay in the garden under the stars. When they were not united as one they lay together as close as possible and tried to make time pass slowly. All the while the C.D. player repeated the love songs and they felt that each one was theirs.
"Maybe we can be together, just not able to make love." Susan tried hard not to be frightened of their last hours together. "If they do take us apart promise you will never forget me."
"You have always been a part of me, and I know you always will be,"
"I love you Angel, with every part of my being."
Angel didn't have to say how much he loved her, his gentle but passionate kiss said it all, and he could honestly say that his heart beat for her. They made love again in the garden among the flowers.
As hard as they tried not to, they fell asleep lying together under the morning sky, covered only by a satin sheet, and when they awoke sometime later their greatest fears were realized.