Note from Rain: My cousin Sunny wrote this fanfic, I'm just posting it for her because she cannot.
Disclaimer: Joss Whedon is the god of the Buffiverse. I just borrowed his children for some fun. All the characters in this story belong to him, except the evil ones who belong to Rain. Thanks Rain for letting me play with them.


Chapter One
By Sunny


"I can't believe she is getting married," Cordelia cried as she stomped into the office slamming the door behind her. She walked rapidly over to her desk, which was occupied by a gentleman who hadn't heard a word she said. "I said, I can't believe she is getting married," she repeated. Cordelia crossed her arms across her chest and glared at the man.
"What?" Wesley asked without even bothering to look up from the book he was studying intently.
Cordelia muttered something under her breath about losers who had nothing better to do than hang around and annoy her. Then she said for the third time, "I can't believe she is getting married."
"Oh," Wesley said. He closed the book he was looking at and reached for another one still not looking up.
"I mean sure he's been human for a whole six months now, but you wouldn't know it by looking at him. Still wearing black, still doing the disappearing act during the day, and especially still brooding. You would think he would be all happy about being human. Running as fast as he can to his beloved, and now she's getting married. I just can't believe her," Cordelia said. She slumped down on the sofa since it didn't look like Wesley was going to be vacating his seat in her chair any time soon. "And she didn't even invite me. I always knew she was selfish."
"What?" Wesley screeched. This time Cordelia had his full attention. "Who?"
"Who, what?" Cordelia asked innocently.
"Who is getting married?"
"I mean sure we aren't the best of friends, but I was part of her Scooby gang during my insanity period that is known as Alexander Harris. I think I deserve an invite for helping her out don't you? I mean eww parts."
"Buffy is getting married?" Wesley asked his mouth staying open in astonishment. Realizing this he snapped his mouth closed. In a typical ex-Watcher manner he took off his glasses and began to polish them with a handkerchief. "Buffy Summers is getting married?"
"Yeah," Cordelia replied in a subdued tone of voice.
"How do you know?"
"I had a vision," Cordelia explained.
"So there is going to be something bad happening at this wedding?" Wesley asked. Ever since Angel's sidekick Doyle had died Cordelia had been getting his migraine headache vision thingies. They always meant trouble.
"No," Cordelia said distractedly. She was still brooding over the fact that she hadn't been invited to the wedding. She was so over the fact that she hated Buffy. Besides she loved weddings and, she loved rubbing other people's noses in her fame and fortune. If you considered guest spots on situation comedies and teen angst dramas to be fame and fortune.
"But I thought you said you saw this in a vision?" Wesley asked. He was really confused now. Although, he almost always seemed to be confused when he spoke with Cordelia. After five years of working together he still hadn't gotten used to her way of jumping on and off topic.
"Well, it wasn't a vision exactly," Cordelia said. She got up off the sofa and made her way to the coffee machine.
"What was it exactly?" Wesley asked through clenched teeth as he watched Cordelia pour herself a cup of coffee. Sometimes getting information out of Cordelia was like trying to get Angel to stop brooding.
"You know the PTB could have given me those nice pain free dream visions years ago. Believe me they are much better than the migraine headaches I've gotten almost every day for five years."
"It was only a dream?" Wesley asked relief coloring his voice. If it had been true he didn't know how he was going to tell Angel. He knew that Angel still loved Buffy, knew that he would always love Buffy. What he didn't know was why Angel hadn't gone to Buffy as soon as he had become human.
"No, it wasn't only a dream. It was a vision. Yes, pain free, but that doesn't mean its not going to happen," Cordelia snapped. She sounded frustrated. In fact she was almost always frustrated when she talked to Wesley. It seemed like he always wandered away somewhere in his mind about half way into the conversation. She ended up repeating herself, a lot.
"How do you know this was a vision? You said yourself, that it wasn't your typical, excruciating pain filled vision."
"I just know. Besides I called Aura who still lives in Sunnydale and she confirmed it. Buffy Summers is getting married to one Riley Finn tomorrow afternoon at 3pm."
"She's getting married tomorrow!" Wesley's voice rose an octave in his disbelief.
"Yeah." Cordelia looked at Wesley and then whispered into the silence, "What are we going to do?"
****
Two floors up in the new apartment that Cordelia had insisted that he get (because he was human now and he should start living like a human) Angel was just getting out of bed. He still wasn't quite used to this whole being awake in the daytime thing. Besides, even though he had stopped the End of Days there were still demons to fight. And demon fighting took place at night. I may be human but nothing has really changed, Angel thought as he padded over to his refrigerator and took out a bottle of OJ. Well, maybe some things have changed. Angel laughed at himself, and then tipped the container back and took a swig of the juice. He didn't use a lot of water when he mixed the juice so it was thick and syrupy. It reminded him of the pig's blood he used to drink before he had become human again. It was the only thing that helped him with the blood cravings he still got. He sighed as he remembered the first few weeks of his new humanity. He had eaten everything in sight, but he still felt the need to feed on human blood. It was taking entirely too long to get over his blood lust. In the following months the cravings had lessened but it was still there. Especially after a fight. Now, if I could only get rid of my other craving. One word floated into his head accompanied by a beautiful face and loving blue eyes. Buffy.

******
"What do you mean, 'what are we going to do'?" Wesley asked. "We are going to tell Angel."
"Do we have to?" Cordelia walked over to Wesley and gave him a gentle shove. Wesley immediately got out of her chair and walked around the desk to sit in a facing chair.
"Of course we have to. Don't you think he should know?"
"I don't know. Do you think he even cares? Sure, he's been brooding, but do we even know that it's about Buffy. Maybe he's over her," Cordelia pointed out. Of course she didn't really believe that, but she decided to be hopeful.
"You don't really believe that do you?"
"No."
"Well then I guess you'll just have to tell him when he shows up, won't you? By the way why isn't he here?" Wesley asked as he stood up and reached across the desk to take Cordelia's coffee mug off of the 300-year-old book.
"He had some demon thing to kill late last night so he is probably still sleeping. He should be in by late this afternoon," Cordelia said responding to the second part of
Wesley's question. Then she looked at him closely as the first part of his statement sank into her brain. "Hey, why do I have to tell him?"
"You've known him longer," Wesley said. With his British accent he made it sound like a plausible reason. "Besides, I won't be here. I have some more research to do. Angel still has some questions about his newfound humanity and any loop holes that might turn up,"
Wesley added because he knew Cordelia wouldn't go for his first excuse.
"I always get the dirty job. First parts, now breaking my boss's heart," Cordelia replied.
"I don't get paid enough for this." Wesley just shook his head as he collected his books and left the office to continue his research.

********

Angel blinked several times and shook his head to scatter the memories to the deepest regions of his mind. There was no use dwelling on them, they only brought pain. Slowly he looked down at himself and was amazed to find that he was still wearing the black silk pajama bottoms he had slipped on after getting out of bed. How long have I been sitting here, he wondered his eyes restlessly searching for a clock. Oh my God, its been an hour.
He got up off the couch and walked into the bathroom. He looked into the mirror and was not very surprised to see the traces of tears on his cheeks. The memories almost always did that to him. Angel turned on the faucet and splashed his face with cold water. Then he shed the only piece of clothing he was wearing and got into the shower. It was time to start another day, even if he didn't want to. He had to check in with Cordelia to see if she had had any visions. Of course since the End of Days they had become less frequent. He knew Cordelia would be glad if she never got another one, but it kept him busy. And busy was good because then he couldn't think about Buffy. It was much better when he was fighting something. The days and nights when he wasn't trying to save someone were the loneliest days and nights of his life. He always thought that when he became human he would be able to finally be happy. Of course being human had meant being with Buffy, but he just couldn't do that to her. He wasn't sure this whole human thing was going to stick. He didn't want it to end up like the last time he had been human. He didn't want to cause anyone any more pain. He didn't want to have his taste of happiness turn out with him becoming a monster again.
What I seem to be cursed with is a lack of happiness Angel thought bitterly as he stepped out of the shower and toweled off. Still wearing black, still brooding about a life I can't have. Angel walked over to his closet and looked at the row of neatly hung black pants and dark colored shirts. He pulled out a pair of pants and his brightest shirt in royal blue. Still worried that I might hurt someone I love more than life itself by acting on my desires. I would die before I hurt her again which means I will die of loneliness and sorrow because I can't have her. Angel shook his head again, spraying water droplets from his hair into the air. "Enough of this brooding," Angel said into the stillness. "Time to join the living." Sometimes he honestly forgot he was the living now. Angel stalked over to the door of his apartment and wrenched it open. He walked through the doorway still buttoning his shirt, and over to the elevator. "Lets just see what Cordelia and Wesley are up to." Angel got into the elevator and prepared to start another lonely day without the one person who made his newfound life worth living.

********

She had that look on her face again. The look he hated to see. It could only mean she was thinking about Angel. "What's wrong?" Riley asked as he came over to take a box from Buffy and place it with the others near the door of her bedroom.
Buffy turned away from him and said, "Nothing is wrong. Why do you ask?"
"You look sad." I knew she would lie to me.
"Well, I am a little sad to be leaving this window behind," Buffy said as she stared out the window of her bedroom, the window that was a link to her life with Angel. "I really enjoyed climbing in and out of it. You know sneaking out to all of those wild parties at the cemetery, going on all night trips to the Sunnydale High School library. Sneaking out of it to spend time with Angel. I was really out of control in my teen years. Did you know I torched the gym at Hemery High?" Buffy's voice was laced with humor. She was hoping that she could distract Riley and herself from the true subject of her brooding. Angel.
Glib, she is definitely thinking about HIM. "Since you obviously have such fond memories of this window why don't you pack it," Riley returned. He slipped behind Buffy and put his arms around her. He loved the feel of her in his arms. That was the only time she felt like she was really with him.
Buffy just shook her head. She was trying to rid her mind of Angel standing by that window telling her how much he wanted to kiss her. She didn't want that memory anymore. It was a hindrance to the new life she was trying to build. She didn't want to remember the first kiss they had ever shared the kiss that had transferred her soul into his keeping, the kiss that had made her his girl forever. Buffy closed her eyes and replayed that scene her head. The wonderful toe curling kiss and then the revelation of his true face. His demon face. Her body still remembered the pain and confusion she felt as he had scrambled out this same window after revealing himself to her. And then because she had continued to love him it had all turned to badness. Involuntarily, she shuddered as she remembered waking up one morning to find a present from Angelus. Her lover and protector had turned into her nightmare, terrorizing her, playing with her. He had used this window to make her love him and then to make her hate him. Even now the guilt she felt over his turning clawed at her stomach.

"No, I think I'll leave it here" Buffy said sadly as she snuggled closer to Riley.
Sometimes when Riley held her she was able to forget about Angel for minutes at a time. And she desperately wanted to forget. She didn't want to still feel his arms around her when she closed her eyes at night. She didn't want to remember the feel of his lips as he softly kissed her forehead. She didn't want to remember his long legs and gorgeous body unfolding as he came through this window. But most of all she didn't want to remember sneaking out of the window and running away. Running away from the unbearable ache that was inside her. The ache caused by having betrayed her lover just as he had been returned to her. She was still recovering from that. She had heard once that a person's eyes were the window to their soul, but this window was the portal to her soulmate.

"Good because I think it would be really hard to pack," Riley returned. He had caught the sadness in Buffy's tone and wanted to lighten the mood. Buffy just smiled at the image of them reflected in the window and didn't say anything.

Riley rested his chin on Buffy's head as she stood staring out the window that Angel had crept in and out of so many times. With her new life stretching out before her she could only think about the past and of her soulmate who she couldn't be with. I have to stop thinking about him. Our love can never be. I have this wonderful man who adores me and he wants to spend the rest of his life with me. He won't leave me claiming it's for my own good. This, Buffy Summers is a good man. Stop thinking about something that can never be and get on with your life. Live the happily ever after that you have always wanted, like a normal human being. So Buffy turned in Riley's arms and reached up to pull his head down to hers. She was going to make this new life work. She wasn't going to hope for miracles anymore. Angel was never going to come for her. It was time to move on.

******

"Well, I guess its finally time to move on," Angel managed after being completely silent for five minutes. Cordelia's shocking announcement was still bounding around in his head. Buffy is getting married. Buffy is getting married.

"You guess its time to move on?" Cordelia asked surprised by Angel's reaction. She couldn't believe that was all he had to say. "Aren't you going to Sunnydale?"

"And what exactly would that accomplish, Cordelia?" Angel asked. He swallowed several times hoping the lump in his throat would disappear. He didn't want to start crying. Not now, not in front of his friend. Maybe later when he was alone he could let himself grieve for something that finally could never be. All hope was gone. He hadn't even realized that he had held out hope of having Buffy in his life until it was too late.

"You could stop the wedding. Tell her you love her. I am sure you could steal her away from some guy named Riley Finn. I mean what kind of name is that anyway. She will be Buffy Finn. That sounds like some kind of new fish. If you just told her how you felt it could be your wedding and then she would be Buffy..Um.. Mrs. Angel…," Cordelia trailed off realizing that her ramblings were not helping at all. Besides she didn't even know Angel's last name. Did he even have a last name. "Do you even have a last name?"

"I did once," Angel said. Then he looked up at her with pain in his eyes. More pain than usual anyway and asked, "So she is marrying Riley, huh?" I knew I didn't like that guy. Angel had run in to him once a long time ago. They had fought, neither one really getting the better of the other. Buffy had not been amused. In fact she had threatened to put them both in the hospital. Angel smiled a small sad smile as he remembered the last time he had seen her. I should have taken her in my arms then, when we were alone in the hallway. I should have told her that I loved her and that I wanted her in my life. I should never have left her to be with him. Now it's too late. Angel closed his eyes as waves of pain finally washed over him leaving him numb. He didn't even hear Cordelia's answer or Wesley's entrance into the office.

"He's bad," Cordelia said to Wesley answering his silent question. "At first he was all Mr. Calm, but now…" Cordelia waved her hand in front of Angel's face and shrugged when she got no response.

"Then maybe we should leave him alone," Wesley said grabbing Cordelia's arm and dragging her away from the office. "You don't think he'll do anything dangerous, do you?"

"What like go storming off to Sunnydale?" Cordelia asked. Wesley just raised his eyebrows. "Not a chance," she huffed in return. "He said he thought it was finally time to move on."

"Well, maybe he's right," Wesley said thoughtfully.

"Look Wesley, I know you weren't around them for very long, but they will never be able to move on. The whole tortured love thing is kind of their deal," Cordelia explained. She let her head fall back against the back of the chair she was sitting in. Telling Angel the news had drained her. She really hated getting all emotional. It made her tired and cranky. Cordelia hid a giant yawn behind her hand. I am really tired, she thought struggling to keep her eyes open.

"It looks as though Buffy has managed to move on," Wesley pointed out in the superior way he had. Cordelia just glared at him, which prompted him to add somewhat defensively,
"Well, she IS getting married."

Cordelia sighed and said, "That is only because she doesn't know that they can be together now."

"Then he should tell her."

"Tell him," Cordelia replied jerking her thumb in the direction of the office. Wesley stood up and headed for Angel's office with Cordelia following close behind, but Angel was gone. He had managed to sneak out while they had been talking. "I hate when he does that," Cordelia said. She picked up her purse and headed for the door holding back another yawn. "I guess I'll go home now. I feel absolutely exhausted. Breaking bad news to people is really tiring. I just know I'll get wrinkles from all this frowning."

Wesley shook his head and sat down at the desk to wait for Angel. He had to try and convince his stubborn friend that he had to go to Sunnydale. Angel would never truly be happy without Buffy, and he wanted his best friend to be very happy. He deserves a little happiness after 250 years without it.

*******

Angel stalked along the dark streets of LA just hoping for a fight. His mood was blacker than the leather duster that billowed behind him and he wanted, no needed some good old-fashioned violence. He had a rage building within him that would soon need an outlet. Unfortunately, the numbness had worn off leaving a murderous rage behind. He wasn't angry with Buffy, he could never be really angry with her, but he was definitely livid at Fate. Fate had given him his precious humanity just a little too late. Suddenly a dark figure moved out of the shadows and faced the former vampire. It snarled in recognition. Angel had killed its mate a few months ago and the demon had been stalking him hoping for revenge.

"You have picked the wrong night to be out alone," the demon stated as it began to circle Angel in a predatory manner.

"And you have picked the wrong night for your revenge," Angel replied. Angel lunged at the demon catching it by surprise. His fist connected with the beast's horned head sending it sprawling on the ground. The demon swung his arm out in an arc hoping to connect with Angel's legs. Angel managed to jump back thus avoiding the attack on his limbs. He hauled the demon to his feet and then set him free. "Is that the best you can do," he taunted. He really wanted a knock down drag out fight.

Again the demon circled Angel looking for an advantage. "You killed my wife," the demon said.

"I am aware of that," Angel replied. He didn't want to bond with this guy, he just wanted to fight him. Suddenly the demon gave a loud shriek and ran at Angel. He pointed his deadly looking horns at Angel's midsection and began to pick up speed. Angel, not wanting to be pierced by the ends of the nasty looking skewers turned and ran. If I was still a vampire I would stand my ground, he thought as he ran into the shadows. Then he stopped, turned and scanned the area for the demon.

"Come out and fight like a man," the demon said. "I need to kill you before I can be with my lover."

Angel stepped out of the shadow of the building that he had been hiding in. In his hand he had a small but deadly looking dagger. He just hoped it would be enough to kill his foe. He slunk in behind the larger demon and tapped him on the shoulder, punching him in the face as it swung around. Then because he was boiling inside he continued to use the demon's face as a punching bag. In his mind's eye he saw Riley's face, his smug face, as he taunted Angel with the knowledge that he had won Buffy. "I am going to be with her the rest of her life. I will be the one to comfort her when she is upset. I will be the one who gets to make love to her, holding her in my arms after the passion is spent," the imaginary Riley taunted. "You gave up that right, and now it will be mine forever." Angel growled low in his throat and momentarily closed his eyes at the image that had planted itself into his brain.

Unfortunately, he still had a very angry demon to fight. Seeing that his opponent had dropped his guard, the demon swung around letting his flying arms connect with Angel's head. Angel stepped back in surprise, finally remembering that he wasn't fighting Riley. The demon followed, bunching up his fists and letting them fly. The first punch landed hitting Angel in the stomach. Letting out a grunt Angel used his arms to block the second fist, which was aimed at his face. Around and around the two circled each landing blows on the other. Finally, getting tired of the game the demon again came at Angel with his lowered horns. Angel stood his ground and aimed a kick at the demon's rapidly advancing head, hitting him squarely between the eyes. One of the horns managed to nick Angel in the leg before the demon fell to the ground. Angel used this opportunity to bury the dagger into the beast's chest, sending him to be with his lover. Even this monster gets a happily ever after, Angel thought. As suddenly as it had come the rage left him leaving only a deep sorrow. Angel stumbled to the building and slid down the wall sobbing his very human heart out as his body lay shuddering in a puddle.

*****

Meanwhile, back in Sunnydale, Buffy was fighting demons as well. Actually she was fighting vampires. At least she thought they were vampires.
"What are you anyway?" Buffy asked as she hit one of the vamps, or whatever in the side of it's enormous, pale head.
"We are your worst nightmare," the other whatever answered as it lunged at Buffy. The demon's fist connected with her shoulder and spun her around from the force of it.
"Hardly original," Buffy replied. She turned just in time to see one of the demons fly towards her hoping to catch her in the back. She allowed the demon to knock her to the ground tucking her legs up as the demon fell on top of her. She kicked out with both legs and sent the whatever flying into the air. Buffy jumped up and searched the cemetery looking for the things she had just been fighting.
"Until later," they taunted as they ran between the headstones, "when we will finish you off."
"In your dreams," Buffy screamed after them. She wanted to chase them but she knew the sun was going to be coming up soon. It could wait until tomorrow night.
"No, Slayer, in yours," came the reply on a whisper of the wind. She wasn't actually sure she had heard correctly.
"I guess I'd better go find Giles." Those were the strangest looking vamps she had ever seen. And she had seen a lot of vamps in her time on the Hellmouth. Buffy picked her way through the cemetery looking for any vampires that might be still prowling around in search of a late night snack. She didn't usually patrol this late, but she had a lot on her mind and couldn't sleep. Every time she closed her eyes she saw Angel. Sometimes he was telling her how much he loved her and other times he was turning away from her and leaving her.
"Oh!" Buffy exclaimed stopping in her tracks. She turned back to the cemetery hoping to find the odd looking demons she had just fought. "I can't kill them tomorrow, it's my Wedding Day. Guess it will be a job for Giles and the Slayerettes." Buffy resumed her walk heading in the direction of Giles' apartment.
Buffy arrived at Giles' home without running into any more demons and tapped on the door. Then she knocked on the door, then pounded. Finally as she was about to turn away a very sleepy but grumpy Watcher opened the door. "This had better be a dire emergency," he managed to ground out as he held the door open wide for his Slayer.
Sheepishly Buffy remembered that it was about 4 in the morning and she was probably the only one who couldn't sleep. She knew she had left Willow back in her room asleep. Willow had flown in from England where she was continuing her post-graduate work and they had spent the last couple of days together. Even having an old-fashioned slumber party on this the night before her wedding. In her restlessness Buffy had crept out her bedroom window for the last time and gone patrolling.
"Sorry, Giles, I forgot it was so late," Buffy apologized as she crossed the threshold. "I couldn't sleep so I went patrolling and ran into something funky."
"Funky?" Giles asked raising his eyebrows. He was quite certain he would never get used to Buffy's use of slang.
"Yeah, these vamps were really weird looking. At least I think they were vamps," Buffy explained. She strolled over to her Watcher's desk and began to fiddle with his letter opener. "Weird looking in the sense of no pointy teeth, no bumpy faces and really big heads."
"Did you kill them?" Giles wondered. He walked over to her and took the letter opener out of her restless hands. He had some bad memories concerning Buffy and a letter opener.
"No, and that is probably the strangest part about all of this. They tag teamed me and then just disappeared. Giles, it was a hit, run and taunt."
"Taunt?" Again the eyebrows raised.
"Yeah. They said they would be back to kill me. I suggested that it would happen only in their dreams. They countered with no, in mine. At least I think they did," Buffy said. She rubbed the back of her neck showing her stress. "Giles, they got away."
"Well, you'll just kill them tomorrow night. Oh no wait you can't can you?" Giles said turning red with embarrassment. He hadn't meant to forget Buffy was getting married. In fact it was a very important day for him as well. Buffy had asked him to give her away.
"No, I can't. But Giles, don't you think it's funky that they just left like that?" Buffy asked around a sudden yawn. "Are there any prophecies that I should be concerned about?"
"Buffy, we checked into that before you set your wedding date. Now, don't worry about this. They probably felt that they couldn't kill you by themselves. Maybe they are waiting for reinforcements. Xander and I will take care of them tomorrow night. Now, you had better get home and get some sleep. Tomorrow is going to be very busy," Giles said gently shoving Buffy towards the door.
Buffy yawned again and protested, "Giles, vamps don't usually think like that. Its all kill, kill, kill."
"Well, maybe they are smart vampires," Giles suggested. He really wanted Buffy to leave so he could get back to sleep. It was 4 in the morning after all.
"Oh and Giles," Buffy said spinning around to face her friend and mentor. "They didn't open their mouths when they talked." Now why had she just remembered that important detail? She hadn't noticed this while she had been fighting them.
"Hm interesting. They must have been telepathic," Giles replied. He stopped pushing Buffy towards the door long enough to let his eyes wander to a stack of books he had piled by the stairs. Then he shook his head and resumed his prodding of Buffy. It was too early to worry about the mystery. He would just have to work on it tomorrow. Oh, right, wedding tomorrow.
Buffy yawned again. Realizing she had just about enough energy to make it home she allowed Giles to push her out the door. "Well, I guess we can talk more about it tomorrow. You and Xander will be careful while I am gone on my honeymoon, won't you?"
"Yes," Giles said just before he shut the door in Buffy's face. Stifling another yawn Buffy headed for home to collapse into her bed next to the still sleeping form of Willow.

******

The next morning after having spent the whole night wandering the streets, Angel walked into the lobby of his hotel and tried to sneak past Wesley. He knew his friend would want to talk to him about Buffy, but he just couldn't deal with that right now. His knees and elbows were still wet from the puddle and what he really needed was a shower and a change of clothing. Something other than black, Angel thought with a curl of his lip.
"Angel is that you?" came the soft inquiry from behind the counter.
Angel sighed and answered, "Yes Wesley, but I am not in the mood for any discussions. I just want to be left alone."
"I think you should go to Sunnydale and tell Buffy about your humanity," Wesley stated popping up from the chair where he had fallen asleep.
"No. I am not going to disrupt her life again," Angel said. He knew Wesley would not be able to stop himself from butting in. "She made the decision to move on. Its what I wanted for her. It's why I left her."
"Yes, she made the decision to move on, but she didn't have all the facts. I think she deserves to have all the facts before she ties herself to someone she doesn't really love."
"She wouldn't be marrying him if she didn't love him," Angel replied. A physical pain lodged itself in his stomach and he didn't think it had anything to do with the fact that he hadn't eaten anything in over 24 hours.
"Maybe, but why don't you give her all the facts and then let her make the decision to move on," Wesley stated. It all sounded so reasonable to him, but like Cordelia said these two were all about tortured love.
"Wesley, I am going now," Angel announced as he turned away from his friend. Someone he thought of as his brother.
"What to Sunnydale? I have convinced you then?"
"No, I am going upstairs to take a shower. Then I am going to go shopping. I really need to get some new clothes," Angel answered.
"Oh my God, I saw this shirt at Neiman Marcus that I thought would be perfect for you," Cordelia gushed as she came up behind Angel. "It was slate blue and silk. It would go so perfect with a nice pair of khaki pants. You must keep the leather duster though. Very sexy." Cordelia continued to ramble about all the best shops in town. Then she stopped and looked at Angel. "Wait there was something important I had to tell you."
Angel raised his eyebrows and looked at his other friend. Sometimes she could be so exasperating, but he loved her. "Well?" he prompted.
"Quiet," Cordelia snapped. Her brow was furrowed in deep concentration. "This is all your fault you know. All that talk about new clothes distracted me. I have it," She finally said a smile lighting up her whole face. "I had another dream vision."
"Are you sure it was a vision?" Wesley asked. He was a little skeptical about all of these dream visions. He didn't understand why the PTB hadn't used them a long time ago.
"Yes, it felt the same as the last one, and that one is coming true," Cordelia replied.
"What did you see?" Angel asked. He wanted to stop the fight he could see brewing. These two were worse than little kids or maybe an old married couple.
"Buffy." Angel winced at this and then waited for Cordelia to continue. "She wasn't looking very happy either. In fact she looked awful. I'll admit that she isn't the poster child for Vogue Magazine, but she doesn't usually look this bad. Angel, you have to go to her. This marriage is a big mistake. He isn't going to make her happy. And you aren't going to be happy either."
"I can't," Angel said the tone of his voice tortured. "I promised her I wouldn't show up in her life again unless she was in danger."
"Well, she is in danger," Cordelia told him. "She is in danger of making the biggest mistake of her life."
Angel turned away from the confused faces of his family. They didn't understand. How could they? They hadn't lost their soul and done the unspeakable things that he had done. As Buffy had once told him, she understood, because he had done them to her. He had hurt her badly, and he was scared that if he allowed himself to be happy with her he would hurt her again.
Wesley walked up behind Angel and put his hand on his shoulder. "I know you are scared about becoming a monster again, but I have been researching this for the last six months. I think this is going to stick. You will be a human being for the rest of your life," he said. During the night, while he was waiting for Angel, Wesley had had time to figure out a few mysteries. It had finally come to him, before he fell asleep that Angel was scared of happiness. He didn't trust that he would be allowed to be happy. That's why he hadn't gone to Buffy when he had become human.
"Unless, you get bit by a vampire," Cordelia added ever honest. Then realizing that maybe honesty was not the best policy in this situation she backtracked. "Not that that is ever going to happen, again. Look, I think Wesley is right."
Angel and Wesley both interrupted her to say, "You do!"
Cordelia rolled her eyes and continued. "I mean you fight other peoples' demons everyday. Don't you think it is time you defeated your own?"
Angel stared in wonder at his friends and then a smile began to spread across his face. Maybe they were right. Maybe happiness was attainable. Maybe he had finally made amends for all the wrong he had done and he could now grab onto life with both hands. "Come on Cordelia, let's go shopping. And then on to Sunnydale," Angel said a smile of pure joy lighting up his face. A smile that actually reached his brown eyes causing them to glow a soft chocolate brown.