Holy Matrimony
by Cynamin
Author's notes: This is the third story in my "Strange Place to Live" series. This means it takes place in my parallel universe that diverges from the show prior to "Helpless." The previous stories are Coming Home and Demon Hunter. I really recommend you read those stories first, but you should be able to catch on anyway. This story also makes reference to events and includes characters from some of my other fan fictions. Robin Cunningham-Baker was introduced in "We Do What We Can." Colleen Cunningham is the main character of my "Journal of the Observer" series, especially "Sunnydale." I think you should be fine without reading either of these stories, but if you want to know more about these characters . . . .
Disclaimers: I don't own Buffy: The Vampire Slayer or any of the related characters. I'm just borrowing them. What I do own is the plot and events of these specific stories, and any characters you don't recognize.
Prologue
"If everyone in the world
would give me their treasure
I would not want for more
than I have right now"
~I Couldn't Love You More
Sade
"Romantic Dinner and Slay Ride"
Buffy smiled as she cleaned her plate of the last of her dinner. "Delicious," she said.
"Thanks," Angel replied, looking at her through the candlelight. "I'll have to thank Willow for the cookbook."
They sat quietly for a long moment, just content being together. The mansion was lit by candlelight, silent beyond the main room. Of the many evenings they had spent together here, it was nice to have one that was purely romantic, just to be a normal couple.
Okay, almost normal. "I really should patrol before going home," Buffy said, breaking out of the moment.
Angel nodded and stood up. "Let me just clear the table. I'll be back in a minute."
Slipping on her jacket and gathering her things, Buffy waited patiently for Angel to return. She was fidgeting with slight impatience by the time he did so. "What took you so long?"
"I had to get something," he said casually, putting on his jacket and slipping a stake up his sleeve.
The night was a bit cool for late summer, with a gentle breeze that made it a good evening for a pleasant walk. If one could ever have a pleasant walk in Sunnydale. The two of them walked side by side, wary and alert for the town's nocturnal denizens. They were silent, and so was the night around them, as none of the vampires seemed to be making a move. By the time they finished patrolling vampire hot-spot number three and entered another of Sunnydale's graveyards, their manner became more relaxed and the silence grew uncomfortable.
"So," Buffy asked finally, "what's up?"
"Hmm?"
"Oh, that says a lot," she said. "You're being incredibly quiet, even for you, tonight."
Angel shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant but clearly preoccupied. "I was just thinking."
"About?" Buffy prodded. When Angel didn't reply she continued, "You know, I do believe we're way past the point in our relationship where you need to be all silent and cryptic."
Walking a moment longer in silence, he just nodded. "Let's sit," he said then, leading her to a bench-like grave marker.
They sat next to each other, and Buffy watched as Angel fidgeted, searching for words. "Why," she said with a grin, trying to lighten the mood, "I do believe you're nervous!"
Angel gave her a half grin in return. "I haven't done this before," he explained.
"Something Angel hasn't done before? There's a rare event!" Buffy said.
"It happens," he returned. "Are you teasing me?"
"Yup!" she grinned.
"I love you, Buffy."
"I love you, too."
"This isn't exactly the most romantic place for this." Angel paused, sorting out what he was going to say. "This past month has been incredible," he began. "Getting to see sunlight again, with you, to really get to know you and your friends and all the little everyday things I was never a part of before . . . I want it to go on forever." Removing a small box from his pocket, Angel dropped to one knee in front of her. "Buffy," he said, "will you marry me?"
Buffy took the box gently, her hands shaking, and opened it to reveal a ring glinting in the moonlight. As she stared at it in surprised joy, Angel took it from the box and slipped it onto Buffy's finger. Holding her hand in his own, he looked up at her expectantly.
She was about to express her answer most passionately when movement in the darkness distracted her. "Angel, behind you!" she cried, then launched herself off the bench at the vampire creeping up on them. He was a new vampire, an easy kill, but Buffy didn't have time to get in a proper fighting stance before the vampire was on top of them. It delivered a lucky blow that sent her sprawling. As the Slayer scrambled back to her feet, the vampire continued on, concentrating on Angel instead. They both went down, the vampire on top of Angel, who had been unable to get out his stake in time. They grappled in the moonlight, neither of them winning. Suddenly Buffy was on top of them both, and then the vampire was dust, leaving Buffy and Angel alone once again.
They lay there for a long moment in silence, Angel staring up at Buffy.
"So," he said finally, "was that a yes?"
"The time comes," the voice whispered.
The man shuddered with sudden cold. That the voice spoke at all was a surprise. It had not spoken in . . . a long time. Though little scared the man, the voice did, and he trembled. "The time?"
"The Slayer weds."
Facing the darkness fearfully, the man protested. "We already stopped that prophecy for you," he said. "That Slayer is dead."
"No," whispered the voice, "that future has yet to pass."
"Are you sure? I mean, no Slayer -"
"*Do you question me?*"
The man shrank back in terror. "No! Of course not."
There was a long silence. Then, "She is the one," whispered the voice, "that could destroy us both. It can not be clearer."
The man said nothing in response.
The voice rose in anger then. "Why have you allowed it to come this far? The Chosen One and one of darkness have been together for years. Must I tell you to do everything?"
"No, of course not!" sputtered the man. "But . . . Angelus had left. We thought there was no problem!"
"He has returned . . . to her."
"Yes," whispered the man.
"You will take care of this . . . problem," said the voice slowly.
"Yes."
The voice sighed. "Good. I don't need to remind you of the consequences to us all if you fail."
Part One
"Why worry, there should be laughter after pain
There should be sunshine after rain
These things have always been the same
So why worry now?"
~Why Worry
Dire Straits
"Oh, wow."
"Yeah."
"Oh, wow!"
Buffy laughed. "You already said that, Willow."
"Well, yeah," the red head said with a huge grin. "I mean, congratulations! Wow, married. Can I see the ring?"
"Of course," exclaimed Buffy, lifting her hand off the table so Willow could examine the ring closer.
"Oh, wow," she said again.
"Yeah," Buffy grinned and pulled her hand back, fiddling with the engagement ring a moment before putting her hand back on the table.
"So," Willow asked, "did you tell Giles yet?"
"Yup," Buffy said, "I called him this morning. Last I heard he was diving into his books to see if a Slayer has ever gotten married. He was muttering something about 'most eventful Watcher journal' when he hung up the phone."
She was still grinning from ear to ear. Willow thought that if she didn't stop smiling soon her cheeks were going to cramp. "And what did your mom say?" she asked.
Buffy chuckled slightly. "Ah, my life's priorities," she said with a laugh. "First Giles, *then* my mom."
"I . . . well," Willow began, a bit defensively.
"I'm kidding, Willow."
"Oh, right."
"Actually, she was cool about it, happy, you know?" Buffy finally answered. "After we got past 'you're too young' and 'shouldn't you wait and finish school first?' that is."
"But, you shouldn't wait!" blurted Willow. "Remember, seize the moment?" She trailed off.
Buffy's grin slid off her face and she looked down, staring into her cup. Willow thought about the full advice Buffy had given her when they first met. "Seize the moment, because tomorrow you might be dead," or something like that. And the last time she'd reminded Buffy of that motto, things hadn't turned out well at all. She instantly regretted saying anything. She was about to stammer an apology when Buffy looked up and spoke again.
"It's okay, Willow," she said softly. "I said something like that last night. I mean, I've lived pretty long for a Slayer. Who knows how long my luck may last." She was silent for a moment, then slowly began to grin again. "So," she said finally, "I'm just going to have my happiness as long as I possibly can!"
Willow smiled for her friend, thinking that if it was at all possible, somehow, Buffy and Angel would live 'happily ever after.' "Have you talked about when the wedding's going to be?" she asked.
"Oh," Buffy thought for a second. "We sorta didn't get to that part." At Willow's confused look, she explained. "We were patrolling, then he proposed, then we got attacked by this suicidal vampire, then I had to go home." She shrugged.
"Suicidal vampire?"
Buffy laughed slightly. "Yeah, a really stupid vampire that attacked us. He was dust in less than 30 seconds. I figure he must have had a death wish."
Willow frowned. "Isn't that . . . I don't know, weird?"
"Nah, sometimes they do that. Stupid newbies. That's not weird."
Walking by them at that moment, a girl carrying drinks for some friends at a nearby table cried out in surprise and stumbled, her drinks spilling all over Buffy. Buffy yelped in response, springing to her feet as the hot coffee hit her. It wasn't quite hot enough to burn, but it did leave a hideous brown stain on her shirt.
The girl scrambled to her feet. "Who did that!" she cried.
Buffy helped her up. "Did what?"
"Somebody pushed me!"
Sitting at the table, Willow shook her head. "I didn't see anyone."
The girl looked around wildly. "I felt it! Somebody shoved me in the back!" Finally she began to calm down and noticed the stain on Buffy's shirt. "Oh my, I'm so sorry!"
"It's alright. Are you sure you're okay?"
"Yeah," the girl said softly. "I'm fine." She wandered away, looking confused.
Buffy picked up a napkin from the table and began to wipe at the stain. She stopped after a moment, looked at her shirt, and sighed.
"Now *that* was weird," Willow piped up.
"Nah, just a klutz in Sunnydale. Blaming someone who wasn't there." Buffy stood up and gathered her things. "I'd better go home and change. See you at Giles' later?"
Willow nodded and smiled, and Buffy walked out the door. As soon as she was gone, the smile slipped to a frown. She couldn't help but think of the girl who had fallen. She had tripped over nothing, and Willow still heard what she'd said. *Somebody pushed me!*
As the sun set over Sunnydale, Angel walked casually through the darkening streets. Everything was lit in faded colors of gold that in a few minutes would be gone, leaving the town in darkness, but for now it was beautiful. He loved this time of day. Things were beginning to calm down and Angel could just enjoy this little bit of sunlight before Sunnydale's more dangerous residents awoke.
Tonight he walked with a small, half grin on his face, lost in thought. He was joining Buffy's friends at Giles' house. Usually Buffy would then go on patrol afterwards, but somehow he didn't think she'd get to that tonight. He wondered how many of her friends she had already told about their engagement. Angel wished that he had someone he could tell the news to that would really understand how wonderful and incredible it was that he and Buffy were going to get married. For the most part, his friends were Buffy's friends. There were also some of his coworkers at the museum, whom he had told today, but they didn't know the whole history, plus they didn't yet know Angel very well. There were a couple of others he could have told, if he knew how to reach them, like Whistler. Angel only hoped that there'd be someone at Giles' tonight who didn't yet know, so he could be there when they found out, if not be the one to tell them himself.
Angel saw no cause to worry as the sun set completely. First off, he was in too good of a mood. Secondly, it was still early for any vampires to be out and hunting. If anything, they were only just waking up. Finally, he wasn't used to having to worry about vampires, or seeing the darkness as dangerous. So it was that when he was about two blocks from Giles' home that he was surprised by the vampire's attack.
Buffy was the first one to arrive at Giles' house, but only by a minute or so. Willow and Oz arrived together soon after and she met them at the door. Together the three of them entered and waited for the last two of their friends to arrive.
They waited for several minutes during which they made polite small talk. The conversation faded, however, as time passed and Buffy became increasingly worried over the late arrivals. Willow and Oz could tell she was concerned, though she tried to hide it.
There was an uncomfortable silence as Buffy stared out the front window. Willow had been talking for a moment earlier, but had stopped as she noticed Buffy's distraction.
"I'm sure they're fine," she said into the silence, hoping to reassure Buffy.
Buffy said nothing in response, simply nodded in vague acknowledgment, her focus out the window and down the street. It wasn't until several more uncomfortable silent minutes had passed that she sprung out of her chair to open the door.
In the silence caused by Buffy's sudden actions came the sounds of both missing persons, Xander and Angel, chatting amicably. Before anyone could comment on this favorable turn of events, however, the two of them came into the light of the door where everyone could see them.
"Good lord, what happened?" exclaimed Giles, just now coming back into the room.
Xander looked normal, but Angel definitely looked the worse for wear. Buffy moved to his side immediately as he came in and partially supported him as he limped over to the couch. There was no other injury evident, but he looked decidedly disheveled.
"A vampire surprised me," he said simply. "I just wrenched my knee when I fell."
"You killed it?" Giles asked.
"Actually, Xander scared it off," Angel explained.
Xander smiled and held up a cross. "Don't leave home without it!" he said.
No one had a response to that. Giles went to get Angel ice for his knee and they all sat around for a moment waiting for whatever they were going to do next. Buffy fussed over Angel, much to Willow's amusement. Xander chatted on obliviously to it all while Giles rummaged around in the kitchen. Giles came back with an ice pack for Angel, and everyone looked at him expectantly.
"So," said Buffy, "What's up?"
"Well," said Giles, looking at them all, "assuming this was just a normal vampire attack, then, um, nothing's 'up.' This *was* just a usual vampire attack, yes?"
Holding the ice to his injured knee, Angel nodded. "As far as I could tell."
"In that case," replied Giles, "there's nothing unusual going on at the moment . . . that I know of."
"Nothing?" asked Buffy in surprise. "No vampiric plots? Doomsday prophecies? Giant bugs?"
"No, uh, nothing."
Xander laughed. "Now *that* is unusual. For Sunnydale."
"So," said Oz, "what are you to do when nothing unusual's going on?"
"Well," said Giles, "I've been doing some reading in some of the old Watcher diaries, and, Buffy-"
"Do I get the prize for most eventful Watcher's journal?" Buffy asked with an impudent grin.
"Most unusual, certainly," replied Giles. "If all goes well, you'll have another first to your credit."
"Did you hear that?" Buffy said, smiling at Angel. "Another first." They kissed lightly.
"Yeah, congratulations you two," said Willow.
Oz and Giles wished their congratulations as well. Buffy and Angel just smiled.
"Wait, I'm confused," Xander said at last. "What exactly are we congratulating? And what's this about firsts?"
"First Slayer to get married," Buffy replied.
"You mean you and Dead Boy are . . . ?"
"Engaged to be married," acknowledged Angel with a smile. "And I thought I asked you not to call me that."
"Yeah, I guess it doesn't quite fit anymore," Xander said in response, "but I'm not going to stop using that name to tease you. Especially when I'm the last one to hear about things like this." He paused, then smiled at Buffy. "I guess my congratulations are in order for you two, too. So, um, congratulations."
Everyone smiled and babbled for a moment, then Buffy looked at Giles. "So, um, if nothing's up, can I skip patrol for one night?"
"Well, I suppose . . ." Giles stuttered indecisively. "That is, yes, you may."
"So, what do you say, Buffy?" Willow asked. "Partying at the Bronze?"
"Sure!" she replied. Then, she turned to Angel. "That is, if your knee's feeling okay?"
"Never better," he said softly. When Buffy looked at him skeptically, he spoke up. "No, really, it's healed most of the way already. At least my healing is still, um, enhanced."
"So, Bronze!" Xander said gleefully.
The gang of them quickly got together and made their way out of Giles' house. Giles smiled as he watched them go, for the moment simply normal, happy teenagers. They didn't need to be reminded right now of what they were - a witch, a werewolf, a 250-year-old ex-vampire, a Slayer, and . . . one normal teenager, all with a destiny to fulfill. No, right now they were happy, and so with a small sigh Giles closed the door behind them and returned to the one Watcher's journal that worried him, the only one that mentioned a Slayer who got engaged . . . .
Part Two
"These days you might feel a shaft of light
make its way across your face
and when you do
you'll know that's how it was meant to be"
~These Are Days to Remember
One week later
Exhausted, Buffy tossed in her bed. She was at that strange point where she was so tired she couldn't fall asleep. Though she didn't want to admit it, she was getting worried. The last several days had been crazy. Vampire activity was . . . well, nuts. She'd had to fight multiple vampires every night, two tonight just between her house and the mansion after she and Angel had finished patrolling.
It was all putting a damper on Buffy's good mood, and she was trying so hard to avoid that. She had tried to deny to herself that there was anything unusual going on when it came to the vampire activity, but it was getting to the point where she'd have to tell Giles.
Oh, well, perhaps tomorrow. Right now all Buffy wanted was to get to sleep. Trying to calm her troubled thoughts, Buffy rolled over in bed. A cool breeze entered through the window, open to help alleviate the summer heat.
She was startled for a moment by the sight of a dark silhouette outside, until she recognized who it was. "Angel?" Buffy asked in surprise, sitting up in bed.
"Hey," he said softly. "You couldn't sleep."
"Nope," she replied with a sigh. "What are you doing here?"
"I just wanted to make sure you just got home all right."
Buffy got out of bed and stood next to the window. "You couldn't sleep either, right?"
"Right."
"Hey," Buffy whispered, standing just inside and leaning out, "are you going to come in, or were you planning to stay out there all night?"
Angel smiled slightly and climbed through the window.
"You know," said Buffy once he was inside, "I walked home with you to make sure *you* got home all right. I wasn't expecting you to follow me home."
"I was worried about you," Angel replied.
"Yeah, well, I worry about you." Buffy stepped closer to him, concerned. "As much as I . . . appreciate your concern, you really ought to be getting some sleep. You alright?"
"Fine. I was just remembering other times watching you sleep, good and bad," Angel replied. Buffy knew this wasn't a complete explanation of what he was doing here, however, and let her face show that. Reluctantly, Angel continued. "I'm fine, I just still have trouble sleeping sometimes. Sleeping at night."
"Oh," said Buffy finally in understanding. She was going to say more, but standing so close she forgot what she'd been thinking. She reached up and kissed Angel deeply. He returned the embrace until both of them had to break for air. Buffy smiled, sighed, and leaned into Angel's chest. "What was I saying?" she asked softly.
"It's late," Angel said after a moment. "I should go." He pulled away and started to lean down to leave back through the window.
"Hey," said Buffy, hesitantly taking a hold of his arm. "You could . . . stay."
Angel stopped and looked at Buffy in surprise, saying nothing.
"I worry about you. It's crazy out there right now, and I don't want you getting hurt." She stepped close to him again, keeping a hold on his arm even as he straightened back up. "Besides," she said softly. "I think I'll sleep better with you beside me."
"Are you sure you want me to stay?" Angel asked softly.
"Yeah, I am," Buffy replied, smiling slightly. "I'm . . . not ready for . . . anything else to happen, not yet," Buffy added reluctantly, "but I want to fall asleep beside you, and have you still here when I wake up." She looked at her fiancé hopefully. In response, Angel kissed her tenderly for a moment. Buffy laid back down in her bed, and after a moment Angel took off his shoes and joined her. Buffy pillowed into his shoulder, comfortable.
"I love you," Angel whispered.
Sighing contentedly, Buffy allowed the unfamiliar sound of Angel's heartbeat to lull her finally to sleep.
Sunlight filled the room as morning came, falling across the bed and its two sleeping occupants. As the sun rose into the sky, the sunlight fell across Angel's face, startling him awake. For a moment he was confused and didn't remember where he was. His bedroom was shut against the light, the habits of two centuries hard to break. It was only a moment, though, while his mind was still fogged with sleep, that the confusion lasted.
Buffy stirred ever so slightly beside him, and Angel smiled. On the night stand sat the engagement ring he had given Buffy, put aside for sleep, its diamond glinting in the sunlight. The sunlight shown off Buffy's hair as well. Angel lay there, not wanting to wake her, more content than he ever thought possible simply by studying her in her sleep. He could have laid there forever and been happy. Not for a moment did Angel forget how fortunate he was, and he knew he never would.
A stray hair fell across Buffy's face, and ever so gently Angel brushed it away. Stirring at his touch, Buffy opened her eyes. She smiled. "Hey," she said softly.
"Hey," Angel replied. "Sorry I woke you. Did you sleep well?"
"Yeah," Buffy said, snuggling into his shoulder, "very well. Thanks for staying."
Angel just smiled.
Smiling in return, Buffy sighed slightly. "You know," she said, "this is a nice change."
"Hmm?"
"Laying here, listening to your heartbeat, and waking up to you in sunlight . . . it's nice."
Holding her close, Angel continued to smile. "I was just thinking the same thing," he said softly. Then, after a moment, "Well, the sunlight part."
For several minutes they simply lay there, then Buffy spoke again. "What time is it?" she asked.
Angel rolled over slightly to look at the clock. "Nine o'clock."
"Oh," said Buffy reluctantly. "We'd better get up then. Mom's going to be wondering why I'm not downstairs." Sighing again, Buffy sat up and slid out of the covers. Angel got up a moment later, and after putting on his shoes and running a quick hand through his hair was relatively ready to go. At least, as ready as he could be until he got home and changed for the day.
Buffy turned around a moment later to find Angel prepared to leave. "You're going?" she asked.
"Yeah," Angel replied reluctantly. "I need to go home, get dressed . . . I didn't exactly bring an overnight bag."
Buffy nodded, a tad reluctant as well. "Stay until I go downstairs, alright?" she asked. "I want to kiss you goodbye."
"You'll see me later."
"What, you don't want me to kiss you?" Buffy asked with a smile.
"You could kiss me now."
"Yeah, I could do that." Buffy leaned up and kissed Angel gently. The kiss started tender, then became passionate . . . .
. . . just as Mrs. Summers knocked and entered the room.
Entering the room, she spoke. "Buffy, are you . . ." her voice faded out as her eyes fell upon the two of them, looking back at her in surprise. "Awake?" she finished her sentence.
"Mom!" Buffy exclaimed in startled response.
Angel dropped his arms from around Buffy and looked at her mother, embarrassed. "Joyce . . ." he began nervously.
"Angel," Mrs. Summers replied dryly.
"I . . . was just leaving." Unconsciously, Angel backed up a step towards the window.
"The same way you entered, I see."
Angel fidgeted nervously.
Buffy looked back and forth between Angel and her mother. She rested a hand on Angel's arm for a moment. "Mom, I . . . " she tried to begin.
Joyce silenced her with a look. "Angel," she said, "I need to speak with you downstairs. Buffy, get dressed and join us for breakfast. Afterwards, Angel, you will be leaving through the *front* door." She turned to go, and when no one made a move to follow she glanced at them again. "Angel?" she said impatiently.
Angel looked at Buffy, his face showing his nervousness and embarrassment. He did not want this confrontation with his future mother-in-law. Buffy smiled in sympathy. With a sigh, Angel followed Mrs. Summers down the stairs.
When they reached the kitchen, Joyce poured herself a cup of coffee. She glanced questioningly at Angel for a moment while she did so, but Angel shook his head, declining the offer. Then they both sat at the table in silence.
Finally, unable to bear the tension any more, Angel spoke. "I'm sorry-"
Joyce interrupted him sharply. "For what? I know this is awkward, but what good does apologizing do?"
Angel didn't know quite how to respond to that. He looked at Mrs. Summers blankly.
"Listen, Angel," she continued, more gently. "I know you think I don't like you very much, but the truth is I don't *know* you very well." She looked at him frankly. "I do know that you were a vampire for over 200 years. I know that you had a soul when Buffy met you, and that you lost your soul when you . . . slept together. I know that you hurt her greatly, killed people she knew. I know that Buffy had to send you to Hell, and I know that she took care of you for weeks when you returned. I know that you're human now." Her expression became intense. "But, most importantly, I know that Buffy loves you very much. And that's what's really important, isn't it?" She looked at Angel expectantly, waiting for him to reply.
"I love her," Angel said. "I love her more than anything, more than I ever thought possible." Slowly, he tried to explain his feelings. "For 90 years after my soul was returned, I . . . wallowed in my pain and guilt. I didn't think I could feel anything else anymore." He was looking down at his hands. "Buffy changed all that, with her heart and her energy for life. She reminded me of what it was like to feel human. . . . She taught me to love again." He forced himself to look Buffy's mother in the eye. "Your daughter is an amazing woman," he said.
Joyce looked at him appraisingly, then nodded. "Well," she said, "I wish someone had said something similar about me, and meant it, like you do." She smiled slightly. "That's also the most I think I've ever heard you say about anything."
Angel merely smiled.
"Have you ever told her . . . what you just told me?"
"Not in as many words, but yes, I have." He looked at Mrs. Summers questioningly. "Are you okay with this?" he asked. "With us?"
She shrugged in response. "Not quite, but I'm working on it. I'm having some trouble getting around the fact that my daughter plans to marry someone . . . fifteen times her age. And . . . you've hurt her so much in the past. I'm not quite sure what to think of that." She sighed and smiled slightly. "But in the long run, that's not the point. The point is, you also make her happy, like no one else can. As her mother, it's my job to see that she's happy. Now that nothing else stands in the way of the two of you being together, I can't either."
Angel looked at her in surprised pleasure. "Thank you," he said sincerely. Then, after another silent moment, he said, "You know, last night -"
He didn't manage to get any further, for at that moment he heard Buffy at the top of the stairs. For a moment he was relieved that he would be getting out of this awkward conversation, but then something went wrong. Angel felt a sudden chill, then Buffy made a sound of startled fear, a sound followed by that of something . . . someone falling down the stairs.
Angel sprang to his feet quickly, running for the stairs, followed by Mrs. Summers. He came around the corner to see Buffy sitting on the floor, dazed and rubbing the back of her head. He knelt at her side, concern etched on his face.
"Buffy! Are you alright?" called Mrs. Summers, joining them at the bottom of the stairs.
"I'm fine, Mom," she said. "Angel, really."
"What happened?" Angel asked.
"I . . . this is going to sound crazy, but . . . something pushed me."
Her mother looked at her oddly. "Pushed you? Buffy, are you sure? There's no one else here."
Buffy looked at her intently. "I know what I felt. Two hands on my shoulders, and they pushed me down the stairs." She started to stand, then hissed in pain and grabbed Angel's shoulder. He helped her to her feet. "We need to talk to Giles."
"What about breakfast?" Mrs. Summers asked.
"We'll have to miss it, Mom." She limped a couple of experimental steps, still leaning on Angel. "Come on. It looks like you're driving."
Part Three
"Listen as your day unfolds,
challenge what the future holds,
try to keep your head up to the sky."
~You Gotta Be
Des'ree
When Giles saw Buffy, Angel, and Joyce at his door early in the morning, he was surprised. When he opened the door and let Buffy- still limping - inside, he was astonished. He ushered the three of them into his house, and, when he discovered they had not eaten, was quick to offer them tea. All three of them quickly agreed.
Once they were seated with mugs of tea, Giles waited for an explanation. Buffy took a sip, then spoke. "We've got a problem, Giles," she said, "and I only want to explain it once. This is going to need the whole gang."
Giles looked at her curiously, but did not ask anything. He simply called Willow, Oz, and Xander in turn, who responded quickly to the summons.
By the time everyone arrived Buffy had almost completely recovered from her fall. They all waited patiently for her to explain what they were doing here and what had happened. To their surprise, she turned to speak, not to Giles, but to Willow.
"Do you remember last week at the Espresso Pump?" Buffy asked. "The girl with the coffee?"
Willow nodded. "I couldn't stop thinking about it," she said. At everyone else's looks of confusion, she explained, "A girl tripped and complained somebody pushed her, but no one was there."
"I didn't believe her," Buffy said. "I thought she was imagining things, but then, this morning . . . . I was coming down the stairs when the same thing happened to me. I felt someone push me down the stairs."
Giles looked at her in surprise. "And no one else saw anything?"
"Oh, no," Willow said suddenly, "do you think we're dealing with another invisible girl?"
Mrs. Summers looked at her curiously. "Invisible girl?"
"Several years ago -" Giles began to explain, then faltered. "Um, it's not important. You didn't see anyone?"
Joyce shook her head, and Angel spoke up. "We didn't see anyone," he said.
Giles nodded thoughtfully, while Xander cast Angel an odd, amused look. "Weren't you wearing the same thing yesterday?" ha asked.
Angel merely shot him a cross look, then smiled and continued to speak to Giles. "I don't think it was an invisible person, though," he continued. "Not in the sense you mean, at least."
"Why do you think that?" Giles asked.
Angel looked thoughtful. "First, it would have had to have been in the house for quite a while and I don't think it would have waited so long to do something. But, more importantly, right before Buffy yelled, there was this unusual . . . cold in the house."
Giles looked thoughtful. "Unexplained cold spots have often been associated with haunting phenomenon," he said. "This could be a ghost or a poltergeist, though such things are usually confined to a specific location. It is very odd that two separate entities would exhibit the same behavior in such a manner."
Willow looked at Giles oddly. "What if it's not two entities?"
Everyone stared at Willow, then looked expectantly at Giles. Giles shook his head. "In order for it to be one entity there would need to be something tying the two events together."
"There is," Buffy said softly. "Me."
Silence greeted her statement.
"I was at both places," Buffy continued. "The girl at the Espresso Pump was standing right next to me. And, well, today . . . maybe I'm the target. It wouldn't be the first time."
Oz spoke up. "Why would something be haunting Buffy?" he asked.
Giles looked a bit flustered. "Well, if you're right, Buffy, and you are indeed the focus of this . . . creature's malice, then . . . we need to find out why. I shall need to do some research. If you would all assist me . . . ."
The entire group of them started talking at one.
"Everyone? I'm no good at research!"
"Why does something want to hurt my baby?"
"Man, it's summer vacation! I thought that meant freedom from school work."
"Great, Giles, but how do we defend against this in the meantime?"
"You know, I kinda had plans . . . ."
Only Willow held her peace. As everyone wound down, she spoke softly, just loud enough to be heard. "Why do we need to know why this ghost's after Buffy?"
Silence descended on the group again. When no one responded, she continued more forcefully. "Well, we've already said that this sounds like a ghost or a poltergeist. Not that this would do any harm if it was something else, like an invisible girl . . . but if it's not an invisible girl, if it's a ghost -"
Buffy was impatient. "What is it? What's your idea?"
Willow nodded. "If it's a ghost, then we can get rid of it. Exorcism. Right, Giles?"
Giles was about to answer, but Xander spoke instead. "I don't think so. That didn't go so well last time we tried. Remember the wasps?"
Giles managed to reply to that. "That was a different sort of case, Xander. Those were two powerful, angry spirits. This spirit, thus far, has shown no strength aside from this. . . pushing. There have been none of the potentially deadly manifestations we faced then."
Buffy frowned. "It's 'potentially deadly' enough for me. That 'pushing' nearly sent me down the stairs head first."
"Yes," Giles acknowledged, "but no one has been shot yet."
"Excuse me, but I'm confused . . . again," said Mrs. Summers, a touch annoyed. "What exactly are we talking about here?"
"It's not important -" Giles began.
"Oh, I think it is. If you're talking about a ghost attacking Buffy, then ghosts with guns, it's very important, at least to me."
Buffy sighed slightly and tried to explain as quickly as she could. "There were two ghosts haunting the school," she said. "It was a student who killed a teacher and then himself. They were possessing students to reenact their deaths."
"Oh, dear," murmured Joyce. "You stopped them, right?"
"Yeah, we stopped them," Buffy said softly, and volunteered no more information. Sitting next to her, Angel gave her hand a quick squeeze, understanding. He clearly didn't want to think about it too much either.
"Well," Giles said finally, "the important thing is that this situation does not compare. If we're correct, a traditional exorcism should work."
"And I'm much better at magic than I was then," Willow added enthusiastically.
Xander was not reassured.
It did not take long to prepare. Though they were trying to get rid of a spirit that was not linked to a place, they decided to gather at the Summers' house. That was the site of the last manifestation, after all. Besides, this ghost did seem to be following Buffy, and this was Buffy's house.
They all arrived at her house around six. Those that needed an excuse for their parents said they had been invited for dinner. Not that they'd made that up; Mrs. Summers did indeed have a meal ready for them when they arrived. She had not cooked breakfast like she'd planned, and she'd used the late afternoon cooking to distract herself from the danger to her daughter.
Willow arrived last, having stopped at Uncle Bob's Magic Cabinet to pick up the necessary supplies on her way over. She found the mood in the house generally light. Xander was pigging out on the snack food Mrs. Summers had taken out. Giles was speaking to Oz about something, and Oz nodded every once in a while but said nothing. A quick look around showed the unexpected sight of Angel helping Mrs. Summers prepare dinner, while Buffy sat nearby, smiling and chatting.
Even knowing they were about to be attempting something that could be dangerous, the dinner was a cheerful affair. Smiling, they ate dinner together, then cast some small magic together. In the end, the ritual was anticlimactic. The ghost was banished without a disturbance.
"They've defeated your pet spirit," the voice scolded.
The man relaxed in his chair. "I know."
"You know?! Not only did that little witch get rid of it, it barely had them worried! Is this the best you can do?"
The anger was palpable. "You mistake me, my lord," the man said. "I had no intention for this attempt to succeed to destroy the Slayer."
A long silence. "You didn't," the voice said, disbelieving.
"Not at all. This was a test."
Another silence. "Go on."
"I saw how she dealt with a direct threat. Those friends of hers will be a problem, but they are no concern of mine. No, I will continue to throw small threats at her and around her. Already my vampires have her stretched to her limits. I have more powerful, dangerous beings under my control. All your servants will do your bidding when faced with prophecy. They will overwhelm her before she even realizes the threat."
The silence was longer this time, then a low, dark chuckle like a roll of thunder built in the shadows. The darkness laughed. "Good."
Part Four
"What is the dark;
Shadows around you,
Why not take heart
in the new day?
Ever and always.
Always and ever.
No-one can promise a dream for you,
Time gave both darkness and dreams to you."
~Once You Had Gold
Enya
Late August
The campus of U.C. Sunnydale was a bustle of activity, swamped with students returned from their summer vacations to the "real world" of school. Those students that lived at the school had already been back for several days, but it wasn't until the first day of classes that things seemed to have returned to normal.
For Buffy, however, things still felt far from normal. She felt like she was in a daze, separate from the things going on around her. She had a lot on her mind. As classes began, she expected she would feel like she had returned to some degree of normalcy after a long, strange summer, but it was hard. For a moment she felt like the "real world" was slipping away from her.
"Buffy?" Someone nudged her. It was Willow, standing right next to her with a concerned look on her face. "You okay?"
"Yeah," Buffy replied. "I was just thinking. Were you saying something?"
Willow sighed. "I was asking whether you and Angel had decided when the wedding will be yet."
"Oh," Buffy smiled slightly. "During winter break actually. We don't want to wait to long, and we want to go on a honeymoon without me missing too much school, so . . . ." There was something else she didn't say, that things had such a tendency of going wrong they were afraid that if they waited too long they'd never get married.
"So, what are you planning to do next semester?"
Buffy didn't get the connection. "Next semester? Shouldn't I be worried about this semester first?"
"No, I mean after your wedding. You're planning on moving off campus to live with Angel, right?"
"Yeah," Buffy replied, not really thinking about it. "It's too bad the mansion's not closer, but I'll manage it." She smiled, brought back to reality. "Like I wouldn't manage it."
Willow laughed in response. "You've got it bad."
"Oh yeah." Buffy grinned back.
A cry of warning surprised Buffy and Willow a moment before the young man ran into them and knocked them both to the ground. The cause was evident a moment later as a frisbee took a faltering course through where they had been standing a moment ago. The other student looked in the direction it had come from, yelling at someone else, someone Buffy couldn't see, "nice throw!" His sarcastic comment apparently went unheard by the thrower, who was nowhere to be seen. The young man dusted himself off, then helped the girls to their feet. "I am so sorry about that," the young man said. "His aim is terrible."
"Yeah, I noticed," muttered Buffy, leaning down to pick up her books.
"Here, let me help." The young man picked up a couple of Buffy's scattered papers. He had a nice smile, Buffy noticed, and she might have been tempted to flirt with him last year. That was before Angel had returned, however, and she wouldn't do anything to make him jealous. The other student, however, obviously didn't have any such thing standing in his way. "I don't think I've seen you around before."
Before Buffy could point out that it *was* only the first day of classes, she realized that was only if you didn't count orientation. "You're a freshman, aren't you?" she said instead.
"Yup!" he responded brightly. "Matthew Richardson. And you are . . . really pretty, but besides that?"
"Engaged," responded Willow under her breath.
Buffy laughed slightly.
Matthew looked confused.
"Buffy Summers," she introduced herself with a grin. "Sophomore, and *so* unavailable."
The boy shrugged. "Oh, well. It was worth a try, right?"
Buffy couldn't help but laugh slightly. "It was nice to meet you, Matthew," she said.
As Buffy moved off, he smiled slightly. "At least let me escort you two ladies as an apology for knocking you over."
"Shouldn't you be going to class, too?" Buffy asked.
"Sure, but we seem to be going the same way," the freshman said with a grin. "Besides, my friends seem to have vanished and I don't want to walk alone. So, where are you going?"
Willow sighed. Seeing that Matthew wasn't going to be shaken easily, she replied, "The science building. Buffy has elementary computer programming in the lecture hall and I have a chemistry lab."
"Computer programming? That's where I'm going," he said.
"We just can't get rid of you, can we?" Buffy asked. At Matthew's head shake, she said, "Well, if you insist on coming with us, you could carry our books. After all, you *did* knock us over." With that, Matthew was loaded down with books and marched down the path.
About half way to the class he got up the nerve to speak to Buffy again. "So, where's your boyfriend . . . er, fiancé? Does he go to this school?"
"No, he's older. He's out of college."
Willow snickered.
He turned his attention to her. "And you? Are you seeing anyone?"
"Yes," was all she said in reply.
After a moment, Buffy spoke to the younger student. "Listen," she said, "the attention is flattering, and you're nice and all, but you don't have to find a girlfriend on the first day. Join a club or something, meet people there." She smiled then, softening her statement. "Besides, if you don't stop hitting on me, someone may beat you up."
"Your fiancé?" Matthew asked.
"No, me."
Matthew chuckled slightly. "Point taken," he said as they walked in the doors of the building.
Willow took her stuff from him then. "This is where I leave you two," she said, nodding towards some stairs. "Have fun!" With an impish grin for Buffy, she headed up the stairs.
After a moment, Matthew spoke again. "We could still be friends, right?" he said. "I haven't done something really stupid?"
"You're a freshman. You're supposed to be stupid," Buffy teased. "Actually, if it means you'll stop hitting on me, friends would be fine."
"Well, good." He looked genuinely relieved.
Buffy laughed slightly. She was feeling like a normal student again, fully part of the college reality. "Here we are," she said, opening up one of the double doors. As a couple of boys sitting in the lecture hall waved at Matthew, she took her books from him. "I think your friends are waiting for you," she said.
Matthew nodded. "It was nice meeting you, Buffy," he said. Then, with a mischievous smile, he added, "Give my regards to your fiancé."
Trying not to smile and not quite succeeding, Buffy replied, "It was nice meeting you, too." With that she took a seat closer to the front next to someone she vaguely recognized, probably from one of her other classes.
The professor was a short man whose girth made him decidedly round. He had balding hair and a monotonous voice. Buffy had to fight to pay attention. Behind her, someone snored slightly, and she considered falling asleep herself. The vampires had not slackened off at all, and Buffy had not gotten much sleep the night before. She wondered what Angel was doing right now. Had a new artifact been found in Sunnydale that could bring about the end of the human race? Or could it be something good, instead? If there was anything, Angel would tell her about it tonight. They'd talk about work, or school . . . or maybe they wouldn't talk at all . . . .
Buffy's thoughts continued on that vein for quite a while before something interrupted her. It was . . . a sound. The barest whisper, or a distant roar. Buffy heard it first, but soon others began to glance around as the sound grew louder. No one could fail to notice when the roar transformed itself into a tremor, one that shook the building. Behind her, the snoring broke off, and the teacher in front of the room stopped lecturing. A scattering of noises -- things rolling or sliding off of desks as the tremor grew worse.
Suddenly, a creature burst through the floor nearly at the professor's feet. With a startled cry he fell as the ground broke beneath him and a many tentacled creature heaved itself through the hole in the earth. Luckily perhaps he was knocked unconscious when he hit the floor, either fainted or having struck his head, for the creature's tentacles left bloody lines where they touched him.
While other students reacted in fear, either running from the room or sitting frozen at their desks, Buffy immediately began to size up the situation for attack. She saw quickly that to get within reach of the tentacles would be foolhardy at best. Instead, thinking quickly, she focused on the creature's one eye amidst its writhing limbs. She only could see it for a moment before the tentacles hid it again, but that was enough. Praying that it was vulnerable and at the same time hoping no one would notice her actions, Buffy took out a stake she carried with her at all times and hurled it towards that small target.
The simple weapon hit its target with such force that the creature staggered back. Its balance gone, tentacles hanging lifeless, it tumbled back down the hole it had created. It fell into the caverns that ran beneath all of Sunnydale and did not rise again.
For a moment the lecture hall was completely silent. Buffy sprang out of her seat, running to where the creature had disappeared and where the professor lay still. He was bleeding badly, and Buffy tried briefly to stop the flow of blood. She looked around quickly to see who was left in the lecture hall. It was mostly empty except for the few students either passed out or too stupefied to move. One of the later was Matthew, staring at her from several rows back.
"Matthew!" she yelled. "Call 911. He needs to go to the hospital."
Without a word, he ran from the room. All she could do now complete, Buffy spared a glance down the hole in the floor and into the caverns. The creature was nowhere to be seen.
"Damn it," Buffy cursed softly.
Angel leaned over a table in a back room of the Sunnydale Natural History Museum, notes and drawings on a recent acquisition spread out before him. Unlike a lot of things that surfaced in Sunnydale, this item seemed to be mostly harmless. There were very few things in the museum that didn't have some sort of occult connection, which was fortunate since that's where Angel's knowledge lay. Already he'd built a reputation in the museum for "finding" the legends behind the more obscure relics. Usually he already knew what it was, but he also had plenty of ways to find out if he didn't. Angel was organizing the various notes and some actual research he'd done when a knock came on the door.
"Hey, you've got a phone call," said one of the other research assistants poking his head in the door.
"Who is it?" Angel asked, looking up from the papers.
"Buffy," he said. Then, after a moment's pause, he added, "She sounded upset."
Quickly getting up from the desk, Angel didn't ask anything else. He just hurried out of the room to the nearest phone. "Hey," he said by way of greeting. "What's wrong?"
The person at the other end of the phone let out a sound of relief. "Angel," she said. "Could you come get me?" He was right, she did sound upset.
Trying to keep his voice calm, he asked, "Where are you?"
"At school," she confirmed. "Please? I . . . need to get out of here."
"Of course," Angel said quickly. With a glance at his coworker, still hovering nearby, he said, "I'll be right there." After a moment Angel asked worriedly, "Are you okay?"
"Yeah," she said with a sigh. "Yeah, I'm fine." She still didn't sound happy. "Thanks. I love you."
"I love you," Angel replied softly and hung up the phone. Quickly he gathered up his jacket and headed for the door.
The other researcher looked at him in surprise. "You're leaving?"
"I've got to," Angel replied. "If anyone asks, the notes and research on that new vase are on the desk, complete." He hurried out the door before anyone could protest.
Fifteen minutes and several violated traffic laws later, Angel pulled over near U.C. Sunnydale next to Buffy. She nodded goodbye to a young man who stood with her at the curb. Both of them looked far from happy, though Buffy looked happier - or at least relieved - as Angel pulled up. She got in the car quickly.
"Thanks," she said, and leaned over to give him a small kiss.
Angel smiled very slightly. "No problem," he said. As they pulled away from the curb, he asked, "Where are we going?"
Buffy sighed. "I hadn't really thought beyond getting out of here. How about your place?"
"All right," he relied softly. When Buffy said nothing more, he glanced over at her in concern. She was staring distractedly out the window. "What's wrong?" he asked.
Buffy said nothing for a moment. "One of my teachers got attacked," she said softly, "right in front of the class. I think I killed the creature, but I'm not sure." She paused. "The police questioned everyone in the class . . . that didn't run away, that is."
Angel looked at her alarmed. "Did you tell Giles?"
They were almost at the mansion. "Yeah, I did. He and Willow are hitting the books." She paused, and when she spoke again he could barely hear her. "I just had to get out of there," he said.
Angel didn't know what to say in response. He knew that Buffy needed reassurance and he was at a loss for words. He was saved from having to say something immediately as they arrived at his house. As they both got out of the car, Angel went over to Buffy and simply held her.
Standing outside the door, she returned his embrace wholeheartedly, sniffling slightly with suppressed tears. "Why can't I just have a normal day?" she asked softly.
They both knew there was no answer to that.
Part Five
"And now I hear you speak each and every word
That I didn't think lonely people heard
You took a long night and turned it into day"
~Sudden Gift of Fate
Mary Chapin Carpenter
By Saturday, neither Buffy nor Angel knew anything more about the unusual activity surrounding their wedding preparations, but both were more at ease than they had been days before. The fact that they had both spoken at length to Giles had helped. Neither of them had truly realized the amount of strain the increased vampiric activity was putting on them until they talked about it. Now everyone had joined in the patrolling like they had during the demon epidemic, and everyone was able to sleep easier.
That same comradery was the other reason Angel was feeling especially content today. The group of them were gathered in Weatherly Park for a picnic lunch. Angel was not used to fitting in a group. As a vampire, he could not be part of human society. With a soul, it was neither desirable nor possible to be part of vampire society either. Since regaining his humanity a couple of months ago, however, Buffy's friends had accepted him as a member of their group. A year ago they never would have invited him to something as simple as a picnic. Of course, a year ago he wouldn't have been able to go to one unless it was after sundown, but that wasn't the point.
Now, as they waited for Xander to arrive with the food, Angel listened as Willow, Oz, and Buffy discussed their first week of classes. He leaned back on his hands, closing his eyes and letting the sunlight fall on his face. Buffy sat close enough to him that their legs touched. She had teased him a couple of weeks ago when she noticed that he had a slight tan. Angel enjoyed every minute of it.
Angel's thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of Xander, better late than never. Greetings were exchanged all around, but mostly everyone wanted to get down to the business of eating. Much of what Xander brought consisted of junk food, but he had remembered to bring sandwiches for everyone as well. As food was passed around conversation continued. Angel sat up and listened while he ate.
"So," Oz was saying, "there's this battle of the bands coming up."
"The Dingo's won last year," said Willow, proud as always of anything having to do with Oz.
"So you're like returning champs," Xander remarked around a mouthful.
"Yeah, but we've got to defend our title," Oz continued. "I heard there's this new band this year that's really good. Plus, they've got groupies."
"Hey, I'm a groupie!" Willow exclaimed.
"Me too," joined in Buffy enthusiastically.
"Yeah," chimed in Xander. "We'll cheer for the Dingo's, of course. Those other bands don't stand a chance."
Oz smiled very slightly. "Well, thanks," he said.
Suddenly Angel felt Buffy tense up beside him, sensing something none of the rest of them could see. Before he could ask her what was wrong an unearthly howl broke from the nearby trees.
The animal was visible a moment later. It was nothing Angel recognized, neither dog nor were-beast. The only thing he could think of was a hellhound's uglier cousin. That was all he had time to think of as the monster ran across the short distance and slammed into Angel, knocking the breath out of him.
Before he could do anything to ward off the attack, the creature's teeth sank into his shoulder. Vaguely he heard Buffy cry out his name. Gritting his teeth against the pain, Angel repeatedly punched the monster's head with his free hand. It made a growl of pain in response, but did not loosen its hold.
Then both Angel and the creature were knocked to the ground as Buffy leaped onto the creature's back. They both grappled with the monster for several moments. Out of the corner of his eye Angel glimpsed a flash of silver as Willow tossed Buffy a knife. Suddenly the hound released Angel's shoulder with an earsplitting howl of pain. The knife was buried in the back of its neck. After a moment it fell still and died.
For a moment Angel lay where he was, trying to catch his breath. In an uncommon display of her supernatural strength, Buffy pulled the dead hound off him and flung it away. "Are you alright?" she asked.
Angel attempted to sit up and his shoulder complained painfully. The hand he put to it in response came away bloody. "Stupid question," he groaned.
Buffy reached out to him in obvious distress. "Come on," she said softly, helping him up, "we have to get you to the hospital."
Angel simply nodded and gratefully accepted her help.
"I'll drive everyone in the van," Oz volunteered, already moving out of the park.
Only Xander was not quick to follow. "We're just leaving all the food?" he asked.
Angel was briefly surprised by the comment. "Don't worry about it," said Buffy softly, but loud enough that Xander could still hear her, "none of us rate above food in Xander's list of priorities."
"Hey!"
Despite the pain, Angel smiled.
Dr. Baker arrived for his shift shortly after one p.m. In the daylight hours the Sunnydale Hospital was usually pretty calm, but there were always a couple of people in the emergency room. Today was no exception, and after coming in the door a group of people sitting in the waiting area caught his eye.
"Well," he said by way of greeting, "if it isn't Ms. Summers and friends. With the amount of times I've seen you lot in the last few months you'd think we were giving frequent patient discounts."
"Perhaps you should," said one of the young men.
The blond young woman smiled. "Hello, Dr. Baker," said Buffy. "It's nice to see you." She paused, frowning. "Well, not nice, because this is the hospital, but . . . you know."
"Sure," the doctor replied, giving what he hoped was a reassuring smile. He saw this group of youngsters more often than he liked. The last time had been nearly two months ago when a friend of theirs was brought in with a broken ankle and a deep gash in one arm. Before that it had been only a week. He didn't see that young man in the waiting room, nor a couple of the other people who seemed to be associated with this group. "Who's the patient today?" Dr. Baker asked.
"Angel," the redhead provided calmly.
Dr. Baker looked at Buffy in alarm. "It's not his heart, is it?"
Buffy looked at him blankly for a moment. Of all the times that he had treated members of this group, the only other time the man named Angel was a patient had been the only time he'd come close to losing one of them. He'd been brought to the emergency room only alive due to the quick thinking of a passerby who knew CPR. His heart had stopped two more times after arrival, and getting him breathing on his own had been even more of a problem. Though he had not spoken of it to Buffy at the time, he'd been amazed that Angel had been able to leave a couple of days later as if nothing had happened.
Finally Buffy shook her head. "No, not his heart. We were having a picnic and he got attacked by a wild dog. It bit his shoulder." She seemed remarkably calm about it.
Dr. Baker could only nod slightly in response. "Well, then I suppose I'd best go take a look," he said, taking his leave.
The young blond jumped to her feet. "Can I come with you?" she asked, a touch of the worry curiously absent before present on her face. "The nurse wouldn't let me . . . ."
Looking at the partially disguised concern on the girl's face, Dr. Baker nodded. He remembered that she "used to be involved" with Angel prior to his last visit. By the time he left it seemed that "used to be" no longer applied. In the midst of their discussion, Dr. Baker had briefly noticed a ring on her left hand. Guessing that they were now more than just "involved," he led her down the hall.
One of the nurses was taking care of Angel's shoulder. He was sitting shirtless with his back to the door. From the door the doctor could see that the wound was messier than "bite" would imply, but not too bad. The nurse had already cleaned out the bite, and now she was stitching up one of the deeper cuts on his upper back.
"Well," she was saying, "it missed your tatoo. That's interesting. Where'd you get it?"
"I got it . . . a long time ago," Angel replied.
The nurse sounded amused. "A long time ago? You're not that old."
Joining Dr. Baker in the doorway, Buffy Summers laughed slightly. "Watch out, he's taken," she said.
The nurse turned around in surprise. Angel did not turn because of the work being done on his shoulder, but his voice sounded pleased. "Hey, Buffy."
Buffy entered the room, circling until she and Angel were facing each other. "Hey," she said. "How are you feeling?"
"It doesn't hurt now," Angel replied.
Dr. Baker couldn't help but smile at that. "It shouldn't," he replied, "considering the pain killers you were given."
Angel winced slightly as the nurse added another stitch. Buffy reached out and placed a reassuring hand on his knee. "So," Dr. Baker said after a moment, "not that it's any of my business, but I seem to see you lot quite often. What's up with the two of you?" For a moment Buffy looked panicked, and Dr. Baker wondered if he'd said the wrong thing. "I noticed your ring," he explained.
The flash of relief on the girl's face made Dr. Baker wonder what she thought he'd been asking. "Yeah, we're engaged." Then her face lit up as she grinned at Angel. "Do you have any idea how fun that it to say?" she said.
Angel smiled in response, but said nothing.
Dr. Baker nodded, pleased that his guess was confirmed. That was the only thing he liked about having certain frequent visitors. He felt like he got to know their lives a bit. "Congratulations, then," he said with a smile.
"All done!" interrupted the nurse as she reached for some gauze. "As soon as I get you bandaged up you'll be free to go." She began applying the bandages on his back to match those for the front half of the bite.
"Good," said Angel in relief.
Buffy nodded in agreement. "The whole gang's waiting for us. I talked to Giles on the phone, and he said he'll meet us at your place. He'd better have some information for us, because I'm sick of waiting."
"Now, Ms. Summers," Dr. Baker interjected, "he really ought to get some rest. Those pain killers are going to wear off pretty soon."
The patient nodded, looking as though he was trying to reassure the doctor. "I'll rest as soon as I can," Angel said, though Dr. Baker didn't believe that anymore than he had Angel's assurances that he would see a heart specialist after the last time he was hospitalized.
"There, that's it," said the nurse and began to put away her supplies.
Angel stood and gathered his bloody, torn shirt, careful not to move his injured shoulder. His younger fiancée took his hand as he stood, and together they made their way out of the room.
"Angel, Ms. Summers," Dr. Baker called right as they were leaving, "could you do me a favor?"
The young couple looked at him curiously. "What is it?" Angel asked.
"Could I please *not* see you or any of your friends for a couple of months?" he pleaded.
Buffy laughed at that. "We'll try our best," she replied.
"Thank you again, Doctor," the young man said as he left, and the two of them went to gather their friends.
Smiling slightly, Dr. Baker made his way to the rest of his patients.
(Continues)