Author's Notes: Don't ask me where this came from. It just started writing itself. This is what happened when I went into internet-withdrawal. A tale happening several years into the future, and if you can't figure out what Angel is hiding, you need to watch the show more. Dedicated to Katie Cory and SWEETVALLEY99, who asked me to write this happy ending. Diverges as Buffy awakens. This time, no music.
Never Ordinary
They lapsed into silence, until the question that had been on Riley's mind came back to the fore. "Why are you here? How did you know to come?"
"I didn't." Riley didn't understand, and suddenly Buffy started shuddering more violently then before. Both waited to see which would be called to act out a memory, but she didn't speak. Instead, she cried out in pain as the quaking continued.
"It's almost over now." Riley's voice was barely a whisper, and they returned to her side.
Buffy's eyes fluttered open, and she seems disoriented. "Shouldn't you two be fighting? Why are you getting along?"
"Oh, Buffy." Angel pressed a kiss to her forehead. "How do you feel?"
"Like a truck hit me." Buffy rubbed her temples, and closes her eyes. "It's over now."
"What's over?" Riley was just relieved she was alive.
"They didn't think it would make me so sick. Something about Slayer metabolism resisting their
meddling. Like it did any good last time, right Angel?" Buffy gave him a morbid grin.
"The Powers did this to you?" Angel wasn't quite grasping things.
"They took away my Slayer powers. I've been given a 'Get Out of Destiny" free card. Like I said, they didn't think it would make me sick, but they don't get many things right when it comes to me." Buffy sighs, and opens her eyes. "I can't even sense you anymore."
Angel looks at the floor, unable to meet her eyes. "I'm gonna go. You two probably want to be alone."
Riley shook his head. It had taken a while, but he'd figured out why Angel was here. "You stay. This is isn't my place, not anymore. It never really was to begin with."
"What are you talking about? Riley? Riley!" Buffy watched him walk towards the door, unsure why he was leaving.
He paused, and looked back at her. His face had a sad smile on. "There were only two reasons you were with me, Buffy. Both of them don't matter anymore. You would never have really been mine anyway."
Buffy understood. She wouldn't have been with him if Angel was around, if Riley hadn't been able to fight beside her. Now, for some reason Angel was back, and she couldn't fight anymore. The reason they almost hadn't had a relationship was what had really kept them together. "Riley, I'm sorry."
"Why?"
"For letting you love me."
"You don't need to apologize for that. Never be sorry about love." Riley told her.
Buffy reached under her pillow. She pulled out a velvet jewelry box. Inside lay two necklaces. She picked one up, and easy tossed it to Riley. "White sapphire."
"Thank you. Why white sapphire?"
"So you'll never lose your innocence and happiness. You still don't get it, but soon, the black and white will blend to gray. When the next comes, will you fight beside her?" Buffy implored him.
"Of course." Then Riley walked out of her room, and out of her life.
Buffy let her gaze again fall to Angel. "When I started to get sick, I went out and bought these." She lifted out the other chain. "Jade, so you'll always have a little bit of happiness and wisdom with you."
Angel let her slip the chain around her neck. He had tears in his eyes. "I thought you were going to die."
"I'm sorry." Again Buffy brushed away his tears. Then she realized it. "No blood."
"No blood. Just plain old tears." Angel pressed her fingers to his wrist.
"You're alive." Buffy whispered, and locked her arms around his neck.
"Two ordinary people." Angel sighed into her hair.
"Never ordinary." Buffy mumbled. "Not us, but as close as it gets."
Author's Notes: I'm feeling better. I've gotten over my flame, and I decided to post the happy ending to this. The depressing one is called Almost A Miracle. Read it to find out what happened before this. Comments, questions, concerns about my sanity go to cobalite@yahoo.com