Note from Rain: My cousin Sunny wrote this fanfic, I'm just posting it for her because she cannot. Well, Here's the last chapter, I'll post the epilogue later this week. Please read and review, it'll keep my cousin partly sane.:) She's driving me crazy looking for new reviews!!
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.
Note part2:
This part has it all!!
A Riley/Angel fight
Verbal sparring!!
Smoochies!!!
And...could it be? A Happy Ending in sight??
Read on!!
*******
I Do
CHAPTER EIGHT
Angel let out a quiet moan as he opened his eyes. He didn't think he had ever been so sore in his entire life and that was a long time. He felt like he had gone twenty rounds with a troll and lost. Struggling to sit, Angel managed to heave himself upright with another low moan. That is when he noticed that every eye in the room was trained on him. Slowly, Angel turned his aching head in a circle and encountered the worried stares of all of Buffy's nearest and dearest. He knew what they wanted. If he had been in their shoes he would have been anxious too.
"She did it," he informed them with a grin.
The Scoobies let out a collective sigh of relief, which was quickly interrupted by Riley. "Then why isn't she waking up?" he demanded.
"Okay, good point," Willow said looking at Angel, the worry flooding back into her eyes.
"She fell asleep," Angel replied. He rubbed the back of his neck trying to relieve the pain that was shooting up into his head.
"She fell asleep?" Riley questioned. "How could she just fall asleep?"
"Well, I imagine she was tired," Giles said not meaning to be facetious, but somehow managing it just the same.
"I would imagine so," Wesley said a slight smile on his lips. Somewhere along the way he had acquired a sense of humor.
"Yes, well," Giles said glaring at the former Watcher. "What I mean is that her life force needs a chance to rejuvenate. Once she has repaired her spirit, she will wake up."
"She needs her beauty sleep," Cordelia translated for Xander who was looking a little bit lost. He nodded his understanding at her simple definition and turned his eyes back to his slumbering friend.
"Do you think we should move her?" Joyce asked. Her voice was weak and scratchy. Her throat hurt from all of the chanting and she was tired. She couldn't wait to get home and sleep for a year. But, she was still very worried about her daughter. She didn't really want to leave her to sleep on the cold floor of the magic shop.
Again the Scoobies all turned and looked at Angel for the answer, which Riley found annoying. Angel shrugged his shoulders and smothered another groan. He didn't know he could hurt this bad. "I don't think anything is going to wake her up right now," he said. He was still sitting on the floor testing all of his muscles before he stood up. He didn't want to embarrass himself by falling on his face. Angel turned and looked at Buffy a softness stealing over his features. "You would have been so proud of her, Giles," the ex-vampire told the Watcher his own voice filling with pride.
"I know," Giles said his own features softened by his affection for Buffy. He was already extremely proud of her. She had accomplished so much in her tenure on the Hellmouth. She had lived longer and was stronger than any other Slayer. Sometimes he found himself wishing that he could declare his pride in his charge to the whole world. Sometimes he wanted to slap a bumper sticker on his car that read "I am the proud Watcher of the Slayer." But he could never tell people what Buffy really did and bumper stickers were tacky anyway.
"She killed them both, by herself," Angel continued. He rubbed the back of his skull and found a knot there, where he had been knocked unconscious. "Even after I had been knocked out, she managed to defeat them."
"Wait, just a minute," Riley said anger tinting his voice. "What do you mean 'even after I was knocked out'?"
"We were down to one demon and he knocked me out," Angel explained.
"You were supposed to protect her," Riley ground out through clenched teeth, "not get yourself knocked out."
"Its not like I did it on purpose," Angel said in annoyance. He had stretched all of his muscles, grimacing with every strain, but had decided that he could now get up without embarrassing himself. He heaved his aching body up from the floor and swayed slightly trying to regain his balance. He hadn't counted on being dizzy. Of course he should have known. He had been knocked out. Angel turned to Giles and asked, "Giles, what do you usually do for a concussion?"
Giles turned an interesting shade of red and started to mumble something about ice and a lot of aspirin, but fortunately for him he was interrupted by an irate ex-soldier.
"Every one said you were the only one who could protect her," Riley ranted pacing back and forth in front of Angel. "Every one said you were the only one who could enter her dreams. Oh no, Riley, you aren't strong enough. You aren't brave enough; your connection with Buffy is too weak. If your notion of protection was getting a large bump on the skull and a horrendous headache than even Xander could have protected her."
"Hey!" Xander objected thrusting his pointer fingers in the air. "I am not the expert at getting knocked out here. I believe that the award for The Most Concussions belongs to Giles."
Again Giles turned red and began to mumble something in his defense. No one was really paying attention though, so he left off in mid-mumble.
"I protected her," Angel said his anger building. He didn't like anyone casting aspersions on his ability to protect the woman he loved.
"By getting a concussion?" Riley asked. He stopped pacing and glared at Angel.
"In case you forgot there were two of the vampires," Angel replied his voice dripping with contempt. "You may have also forgotten that Buffy was in no condition to take them both on by herself."
"So you let one of them pummel you into oblivion while she was fighting with the other one?" Riley asked. He had turned from anger to biting sarcasm.
Angel decided to end the argument right then and there. He didn't really care what this arrogant boy thought. He had defended Buffy; he had even saved her life. Angel turned away from the fuming ex-soldier and looked at Joyce. "I think it would be safe to take her home," he told her. "She would probably sleep better in her own bed anyway.
Riley stood just outside the still intact sacred circle and let his anger build into a raging whirlwind of emotions. He let his hatred for Angel surge to the surface along with his jealousy of the other man's ability to get past Buffy's defenses. How dare he turn his back on me, he fumed. How dare he dismiss me like some kind of annoying bug? His hands clenched as his body tensed and then suddenly he crossed the magical chalk line and launched himself at Angel knocking him to the ground.
"Riley!" Willow shouted dismayed by his disregard for Buffy's safety. She cringed at the thought of those two heavily muscled bodies falling on her sleeping friend.
"I favor Angel," Xander said sitting on a bench by the table preparing to watch the spectacle. "Any takers for Riley?"
"We can't just let them fight," Willow said an edge of panic entering her voice.
"I'm not getting between those two, are you?" Xander asked patting the bench beside him. Willow shook her head and sat down next to him.
Angel hit the ground with a thud his whole body protesting this added insult to injury. He managed to get his hands between his chest and Riley's and pushed the other man off of him. "I am willing to beat the crap out of you if that's what you really want," he huffed as he began another torturous journey to an upright position. "But we should at least move Buffy out of the way so that she doesn't get stepped on."
Riley's red haze lifted slightly and he turned his glare away from his enemy towards Buffy. She was lying so peacefully in the center of the circle just inches from his own body. He had forgotten that she was there. He felt horror at his actions as he realized that he could easily have pushed Angel on top of her. And there was someplace he didn't want to go. Riley also pulled himself to his feet and said, "Fine, let's move her then." He turned towards Buffy and started to pick her up.
"I'll do it," Angel said reaching Buffy at the same time. He reached out and tried to take her away from Riley.
"I can manage," Riley retorted.
Each of the opponents had one of Buffy's arms and they were both pulling at her trying to take her away from the other one. If she had been awake she would have clocked them both.
"She's not a wishbone. The winner is not the one who ends up with the biggest piece," Xander said jumping up from his bench. "I'll move her."
Angel, suddenly ashamed of himself, let go of Buffy's arm and stepped back. Xander was right. She was a human being not a piece of meat. Riley still held on to her for several seconds not even wanting to give her up to Xander. But eventually he responded to Xander's incensed glare and let go. Xander picked Buffy up and moved her out of harms way. Then he regained his seat on the bench.
"Ear biting is strictly prohibited," Xander instructed as the two men began to circle each other. He had a silly grin on his face and was rubbing his hands in anticipation. He desperately wanted to see these two beat each other up. He didn't much care who the winner was since he didn't really like either one of them.
"We really should stop them," Willow tried again. She was not as excited about the prospective blood letting as Xander seemed to be. "Maybe I could do a spell."
"No, Willow," Giles said moving over to the table as well. He didn't want to be in the direct line of fire. "They both need this."
"Buffy is going to be so mad," Cordelia said. She also moved away from the two combatants. She didn't want to get blood all over her new skirt.
"Probably, but these two have been spoiling for a fight since Angel showed up. I don't think even she could stop them," Giles replied. Then he grimaced as Angel finally went on the offensive hitting Riley squarely in the nose. Blood spurted from his broken appendage and stained his shirt.
Riley began to dance around Angel jabbing at him but never connecting. Angel was bobbing and weaving staying out of range of Riley's fists. Finally, Riley got tired of the game and moved closer to Angel throwing a powerful jab at his head. Angel's head rocked back with the force of the blow and he stood stock still in a bit of a shock.
"How does your head feel now?" Riley taunted a satisfied grin spreading over his face. Unfortunately in his eagerness to have the last word he made a fatal mistake. He let his guard down.
Angel struck out at Riley with a punishing jab of his own, hitting him in the jaw. "Probably a lot like yours," Angel answered with an evil smirk. Riley fell to the ground landing on his backside. He glared at Angel and then pushed himself up to face his opponent.
Willow noticed the expression on Angel's face and shuddered. It reminded her too much of Angelus. She had to do something quickly before Riley was seriously injured.
Once Riley was on his feet he began his dance again. He didn't strike out at his opponent but weaved and bobbed his way around Angel in an attempt to get under his guard. Angel turned in a circle following Riley's movements, waiting for him to make a move. Each step was torture though, so he desperately wanted this to end.
"Are you scared?" Angel asked holding back a groan of pain.
"Of you? No," Riley returned. He couldn't help but notice Angel's stiff movements and grimaces of pain. He knew that he had the advantage. It made him feel cocky.
"You should be," Angel told him as he gave him a feral grin. Actually, Angel wasn't so sure that he could beat Riley. Not now, not after all he had been through to help Buffy. He wasn't going to back down though. This boy needed to be taught a lesson, and he was going to be the teacher.
Riley just grinned back at Angel sure that he was going to win this confrontation. He needed to win this confrontation, for his own pride. He may lose the war, but he wanted the comfort of having won at least one battle. So with this in mind, Riley danced in closer to Angel and let lose a right hook aimed at Angel's chin.
Suddenly Riley stumbled backwards and looked in astonishment at his bleeding right fist. "What the…?" he wondered as he turned his incredulous gaze towards Angel and the invisible barrier which had sprung up between him and his enemy.
Angel, not really comprehending what had happened struck out with a fist of his own. He leaned in towards Riley and put all of his considerable, muscled body weight behind the punch hoping to knock out his competitor with one last punch. He was, therefore, very surprised when his fist hit an invisible barrier and he also stumbled backwards in the wake of the bone jarring impact.
The two stood stock still for several seconds blinking their astonishment. They couldn't understand what had happened. By all rights one of them should be stretched out on the floor unconscious. Finally a lone voice snapped them out of their confusion. "Willow, what did you do?" Giles demanded.
Every open eye in the room turned and stared at Willow. Two of the glances were especially hostile. They did not like having their righteous indignation interrupted. She tried to give them all an expression filled with innocence, but failed miserably.
"Nothing," Willow responded still trying the innocent act.
"Willow," Giles said his voice hardening in anger.
A smile of pure satisfaction and mischief replaced Willow's feeble attempt at innocence. "I did a spell," she confessed terribly proud of herself. "To stop their stupid fight."
"Willow," Giles said this time in exasperation. He knew that this would only delay the hostilities not halt them altogether.
"They were being stupid, bullheaded, pigs," Willow explained trying to defend her actions.
"No they were being men," Xander told her. He was disappointed in his friend. She had put a stop to his evening entertainment. And there wasn't much in the way of entertainment in Sunnydale.
"My point exactly," Willow returned. "They were being stupid men." She turned and looked at Riley and Angel. "What do you think Buffy would have to say about this?" she asked them with a glare.
Angel brought his hand up and rubbed his eyes trying to relieve the burning sensation that accompanied his tiredness. "She would tell us to stop fighting before she put us both in the hospital," he said remembering a time when she had uttered those exact same words.
"Right," Willow said in triumph. She felt vindicated. She had done the right thing, no matter what anyone else had to say about it. "So if its something you wouldn't do while she was awake why should you do it when she is asleep?"
"While the cats away," Cordelia said putting her nail file back into her purse. It looked like the boring fight was over and they could get back to the business of leaving. She still had that hair appointment tomorrow.
Riley stood in the middle of the chalk circle his hands clenching and unclenching by his side. He knew in his head that Willow was right. Buffy would be extremely angry by his attack of Angel. But his head was being clouded by his emotions. He tried to tramp down his intense hatred and the jealousy that threatened to overwhelm him. He desperately wanted to throw just one more punch, but had a feeling that he would only succeed in hitting another invisible brick wall.
Angel was also trying to rein in his seething emotions. He was jealous of Riley. He had gotten to spend 5 years with Buffy. Years that had been filled with love and sun light. Angel knew that Riley could never really be a threat to him, but he was still resentful of the other man and the time he had spent with Buffy.
"Willow does have a point," Wesley said doing his best to diffuse the situation. At first he had been content to let the two idiots bash each other's brains in, but now he could see that this really wasn't the best time for that. "We should be concerned with getting Buffy home where she can rest comfortably. She has been through a lot these past few days."
"What an excellent idea, Wesley. I am surprised no one else thought of that," Willow said her voice dripping with sarcasm.
Riley and Angel both shifted their stances and looked away from each other in embarrassment. They had been fighting for the right to be with Buffy, but in doing so they had proven that neither one of them deserved her. "Let's get her home," Angel said turning his gaze towards Buffy. He indicated that Riley should be the one to carry her, since he didn't think his body was up to the challenge and then followed him out of the magic shop.
Riley deposited his precious burden into Giles' car and then turned away from the car to speak with Joyce. "Please tell her that I will come and see her tomorrow," he said. He wanted to go with her and spend the night with her in his arms but his gut was telling him that he didn't have that right anymore. And he was ashamed. He was ashamed that he had let his baser feelings get to him. He was ashamed that he had gone back on his promise to Buffy.
Angel bent into the car and lightly kissed Buffy on the forehead, his lips a tender apology for his broken promise. Then he helped Joyce into the back of the Gilesmobile and told her that he too would be by to see Buffy in the morning. There were some things that they had to discuss. He had high hopes that tomorrow would see the return of his happiness after all these years, but he didn't want to take anything for granted. Buffy could still pick Riley. He could still lose her. Then, on that depressing thought he turned and was swallowed up by the night his black duster floating out behind him.
*****
Buffy bolted upright and stared at her surroundings in confusion. She was surprised to see her old room at her mother's house. How did I get here? she wondered to herself. She couldn't understand it. She should be at the magic shop. Maybe it was a dream she hoped as she swung her legs over the edge of the bed.
"A very long, painful dream," Buffy muttered out loud as she stood up from the bed. Her muscles ached and she had several bruises dotting her white skin. Buffy crossed the room and stood looking at herself in the mirror astounded by the picture she presented. She was still quite pale and her hair hung in stringy clumps. It was the worst case of bed head she had ever had. Actually, she looked like she had been seriously ill for weeks. But the sparkle was back in her eyes and she felt more awake than she had in the last few days.
"Good you're awake," Joyce said entering the room. She had thought she heard her daughter moving around. "How do you feel, honey?"
"Better, I guess," Buffy answered spinning around and facing her mom. "Mom, how did I get here?"
"Giles brought you home after you defeated those awful monsters," Joyce told her.
"Oh," Buffy said. "I guess it wasn't a dream after all." Events of these past few days were slowly coming back to her, although they were still a little fuzzy.
Joyce came over and took her daughter in her arms giving her a tight squeeze. She had almost lost Buffy to these terrible creatures. She didn't know that she had ever been so scared in her entire life. Usually she begged Buffy for details of her life as the Slayer, but in the last few days she had gotten to see more than she wanted to. She vowed that she would never again ask Buffy about the details. She would rather live in ignorance of the danger her daughter was in.
"Are you sure you are all right?" Joyce asked reluctantly letting go of Buffy.
"I'm fine, Mom. Don't forget I've got super powers."
"Well, are you hungry?"
"I could eat a horse," Buffy assured her mother with a wide grin. She hadn't realized how hungry she was until her mom had mentioned it.
"I don't know if we have any horses laying around but I think I could come up with some Belgian waffles," Joyce replied with a light laugh. It was so good to have her daughter around. She knew she had come close to losing her forever. "Why don't you get dressed while I make them."
"Sounds like a plan," Buffy said and then shooed her mother out the door.
"Oh, by the way, both Angel and Riley will be over to see you some time today," Joyce said stopping in the doorway to relay the messages that had been left with her. She almost laughed out loud at the pained expression that flitted across Buffy's pale face.
"Both of them?" Buffy asked hoping that she hadn't heard her mother correctly. She wasn't sure she was well enough to cope with both of them.
"Both of them," Joyce confirmed nodding her head. She leaned up against the door frame and surveyed her daughter. "Do you want me to tell them to come back tomorrow?"
"No, I might as well get it over with," Buffy sighed. She was going to have to hurt someone today and she didn't look forward to it.
"Buffy," Joyce began but was interrupted by Buffy putting up a hand and shaking her head.
"I know you just want to help, Mom," Buffy said with a smile, "but I have to work through this myself."
"I know," Joyce replied a little hurt that her daughter had rebuffed her words of wisdom, but she also understood it. Buffy was a grown up now and the circumstances had changed. Angel was human and Joyce had finally come to accept the fact that her daughter was never going to lead a normal life. "So waffles, right?"
"Right," Buffy replied with a grateful smile. She was glad that her mother understood her need to keep her own council for now.
Joyce nodded her head and left the room. Buffy grabbed a few essentials and then also left the room. She crossed to the bathroom and turned on the shower. Once the water was hot she climbed under the spray and just let the hot water wash away all the aches and pains she had acquired over the last few days, all the physical ones anyway. She knew there was nothing she could do about all the emotional knocks she had taken except try and forget them.
Twenty minutes later Buffy was just tying the laces on her boots when there was a knock on the door. "I'll be right down, Mom," she called thinking it was her mom letting her know that breakfast was ready.
"It's not your mom," Angel said as he opened the door and stepped into the room.
"You stayed," Buffy said a smile spreading across her face. She knew that her mother had told her that he was coming to see her, but a part of her had been afraid that he would disappear again. His presence in her room brought with it a wealth of emotions. Blinding joy mixed with a searing doubt about their ability to move forward and forget the pain of the past. They had both changed so much; maybe they wouldn't be able to bridge the gap made by their five-year separation.
"I came for you," Angel replied, "and I am not leaving unless you tell me that you don't want me in your life anymore." Angel wore a hopeful but wary expression. He had reason to hope, but he would also understand if she never wanted to see him again. He advanced into the room and stood looking down at the petite woman in front of him. The rush of emotions that swept through him when he looked at her always amazed Angel. A calm peacefulness entered his beleaguered soul pushing the darkness away. Centuries old guilt retreated into the far reaches of his mind, and his now beating heart thumped even harder with the love he felt for Buffy.
"Are you feeling better?" Angel asked trying to fight the impulse to haul her into his arms and kiss her senseless.
"Yes," Buffy replied. "It is amazing what a little sleep will do for you. How is your head?" Buffy reached up and touched his forehead smoothing the tiny frown lines that marred the surface of his skin.
"Much better," Angel replied inhaling sharply. Her soft touch was driving him crazy. "Giles has a great remedy for curing the headaches associated with a bump on the head."
Buffy's fingers tingled from their contact with Angel's heated skin. She loved the feel of his warm skin under her fingers. She continued to lightly caress his skin moving her fingers down the bridge of his nose and along his cheekbones. It was like she was discovering him all over again. Buffy moved her fingers again feathering them over his lips, which parted as he drew in a shaky breath. His lips were soft yet firm and slightly cool to the touch. She closed her eyes and recalled the sensations those lips had stirred in her. Suddenly her eyes flew open and she looked at him in shock. What am I doing? Hastily she snatched her fingers away from his mouth and stepped away from him.
Angel nearly groaned out loud as her soft touch left him feeling bereft and lonely. He stared down into her flushed face, knowing that she was as affected as he was by her exploration. He noticed that her breathing was uneven and her eyes glittered with the passion they had for each other. At that moment he didn't care if she was going to reject him or not. He only cared about being as close to her as he could get. He closed the distance between them and held her face with both hands, his thumbs methodically caressing the sensitive skin by her ears. Angel drew in a deep breath trying to steady his racing heart and then lowered his head to take her waiting lips in a passionate, possessive kiss.
Heat raced through Buffy's body as soon as Angel's lips touched her own. She sighed softly into his open mouth and pressed herself up against his lean, muscled body. She felt herself melting into him, surrendering to him as their passion took over. Buffy stopped thinking about the past and about the future and just let herself be carried away by the tide of emotions Angel's kiss was eliciting.
Angel removed his hands from Buffy's face and wrapped his arms around her slender body pulling her closer to him. God, he had missed her, had missed this. He deepened the kiss feeling like he could never get enough of her. After five years apart he felt like he needed to make up for lost time.
"Well I guess that answers my question," a tortured voice said finally breaking through the passion that had enslaved Angel and Buffy.
Angel lifted his head and stared at the forlorn figure that stood just inside the entrance to Buffy's room. The passion that filled his soft brown eyes turned to annoyance and pity. Buffy began to struggle and he reluctantly let her go wincing as the cool air hit the spot where her warm body had been.
"Riley," Buffy said softly moving towards him on hesitant feet. "I am so sorry." She hadn't wanted him to find out this way. She had wanted to tell him as gently as she could that she couldn't be with him. That kiss had just confirmed what she had known all along, she had to give her relationship with Angel another try, even if she ended up with a broken heart. There really couldn't ever be anyone else for her but him. So despite the pain in their past and the uncertainties of the future she had to be with Angel.
"Are you?" Riley inquired tightly. The pain washed over him in huge waves dulling his senses so that he felt nothing but the pain. He had lost her. He wasn't really surprised because he knew deep down that he had never really had her. Not all of her anyway. There had been a part of her that she had kept hidden from him, a part of her that belonged to Angel.
"Yes," Buffy replied stopping to stand in front of him. She took his arm and pulled his unresisting body into her room. She flinched when he shook off her hand and glared down at her. "I know it doesn't seem like it now, but I never wanted to hurt you."
"You're right, it doesn't seem like it," Riley said letting his anger dictate his speech. He wouldn't give them the satisfaction of seeing the pain he was in.
Buffy sighed and reached up to pinch the bridge of her nose feeling some of the tension of the last few days seeping into her suddenly weary bones. She turned to Angel and jerked her head in the direction of the open bedroom door. He stared at her intently for a few seconds and then gave her a slight nod. "I'll go tell your mom to hold breakfast," Angel told her. Then he exited the room and pulled the door shut behind him.
"I don't really think there is anything else to say," Riley told Buffy as he stood in the middle of her bedroom staring malevolently at Buffy's closed door.
"Isn't there?" Buffy asked gently. She knew that Riley was hurting and she was trying to be sensitive to his battered heart.
Riley turned and looked at her his anger glowing in his green eyes. "No, there isn't. You have made your choice and have even handsomely apologized for crushing my heart, so forgive me if I happen to think that we're done here."
Buffy couldn't remember a time when Riley had been so angry with her. Of course, she didn't really blame him. She had crushed his heart. "Well, you may be done here, but I'm not," she said looking him in the eye.
"Oh, you have more pain to inflict?" Riley asked his voice like ice.
"No, I…" Buffy's voice trailed off and then stopped completely as she realized that she had no idea what she wanted to say. It was true, she had already apologized, but that didn't seem like it was enough. They had spent 5 years together, and were going to get married. Surely, Riley deserved more than her feeble apology.
"Well," Riley prompted as he shifted his stance to stand on his left foot while the right foot tapped a silent tattoo on her carpet. He folded his arms across his chest and glared at Buffy.
Trying to give herself time to collect her thoughts Buffy stared up into the face of the man who had been her lover and friend for such a long time. They had been through a lot together. And she did love him, just not the way he deserved to be loved. "Riley," Buffy said trying again to put her feelings into words.
"Yes?" Riley questioned his foot still tapping in impatience. He didn't know how much longer he could stand there looking down at her. He didn't know if he could take anymore pain.
Buffy looked deeply into his eyes and saw the pain hidden behind the anger. Her own eyes started to tear up in response to his suffering. "I'm just so sorry," Buffy finally managed to say.
"You said that already," Riley reminded her. When she just stared at him in return he heaved a sigh of annoyance and turned to leave the room.
"Wait," Buffy called moving after him to detain his exit. "This is hard for me. I never thought I would have to do this."
Riley turned back to her and stood waiting for her to continue. After a few seconds of silence he raised his eyebrows and half turned towards the door. He wasn't about to stand around all day while she struggled to find the nicest way to break his heart.
"I never thought I would have to make a choice," Buffy finally said. "When Angel walked out of my life 5 years ago I never thought he would come back. I thought he had left for good. My head was telling me that it was for the best. I mean how could a vampire and a vampire Slayer have any kind of normal relationship. But my heart? My heart was broken. I never thought I would love again. Until you came along. I thought you were Joe Normal. I thought that I could finally have the normal life I had been craving."
"But I wasn't Joe Normal so you pushed me away and have been ever since," Riley said.
"Yes, I was upset when I found out you were Clark Kenting your way through life. I was trying to protect myself from being hurt. I couldn't stand the thought of having my heart broken again."
"How could I have broken your heart when it was never really engaged?" Riley asked in frustration.
"How can you say that?" Buffy wondered in disbelief.
"Easily given the current situation," Riley returned.
"Riley, I loved you very much. I still do."
"Just not enough," Riley said bitterly.
"No, you're right. I don't love you the way you deserve to be loved, but I do love you," Buffy told him looking him directly in the eyes so that he could see her sincerity.
"But not like you love Angel."
"No, not like I love Angel. I know you don't understand this, but Angel and I were meant to be together. I think from the moment he was made into a vampire we were destined to find each other," Buffy said her features softening as she thought about the man she loved.
Riley gave an eloquent snort but didn't say anything when Buffy glared at him. "I know it sounds ridiculous considering the fact that Angel was sired over 200 years before I was even born. But think about it. He could have met his end anytime over those 200 years. Any number of Slayers could have killed him, or he could even have put an end to his own life after his soul had been returned. I am sure he felt guilty enough to kill himself. But he didn't. We were fated to love each other and I can't turn away from that. My heart won't let me."
"Even if it means being sucked back into the uber evil?" Riley asked reminding her of the reason she had given for their breakup back so many years ago.
"Even if it means being sucked back into the uber evil," Buffy confirmed. "Angel and I have had a tough past and the future may be rocky as well, but he is my soul mate. I can't let him walk out of my life again. I am only whole when I am with him."
Riley broke their eye contact and turned away from Buffy. He didn't want her to see how much her last statement had hurt him. "I only hope he doesn't hurt you as much as you have hurt me today," Riley said.
"Oh, Riley I am so sorry," Buffy cried. She felt so sorry for him, but she didn't know what else to say. She walked over to stand in front of him and stood on her tiptoes to place a chaste kiss on his cold lips.
Riley jerked away from her body and looked at her finally letting her see the hurt and betrayal in his eyes before he stalked past her to exit her bedroom. He quietly closed the door and then made an equally quiet departure from the Summers' house.
Five minutes later Angel entered the room to find Buffy, laying on her bed in the fetal position, crying. Without saying a word he gathered her in his arms and held her until the tears stopped.
"I never meant to hurt him," Buffy said pulling away from Angel and wiping at the tears on her face.
"Someday, when he has gotten over you, he will realize that," Angel told her as he settled himself more comfortably on the bed.
"Would you ever get over me?" Buffy asked snuggling down next to Angel.
"Never," Angel replied. He pulled her close to him and gave her another slow, passionate kiss.
"So what now?" Buffy asked when she could speak again.
"Waffles," Angel suggested.
"That's not what I meant," Buffy said lightly punching his broad chest.
"More kissing," Angel decided.
"That's not what I meant either," Buffy said pulling back from his descending lips. "I mean where do we go from here?"
"We're going to be together forever so it doesn't matter where we are," Angel replied before dipping his head to kiss her.
"Angel, we have to take this seriously," Buffy stated impatiently. "Our future together is too important for you to joke about it."
"Who said I was joking?" Angel asked. "Now come here and kiss me."
Buffy struggled out of his hold and jumped off the bed to stand and glare at him. Her doubts about their future had returned and she needed him to convince her that they were going to be all right.
Angel sighed and swung his legs around so that he was again sitting on the edge of the bed. "What is bothering you?" he asked finally realizing that she was indeed very serious.
"I am worried," Buffy confided. "About us."
"What about us?" Angel asked with a frown. Now he was worried.
"I can't leave Sunnydale," Buffy told him.
"So?" Angel was confused now. "What does that have to do with us?"
"And you are needed in LA. How can we be together when we both have duties to protect the people of towns that are so far apart?" Buffy asked finally reveling her doubts. "After you moved to LA you told me that we didn't live in the same world anymore. You were right and now its five years later. What if we can't build a bridge to connect our two worlds together?"
Angel understood her concerns but didn't really share them. Nothing was going to stand in the way of their future together. He moved to stand in front of her and then took her into his arms. "Do you hear my heart beating?" Angel asked her as he cradled her tightly in his arms. "I have waited so long to be human again but I will never be truly happy if you are not in my life. I will build that bridge. I promise you that I will do whatever it takes to bring our two worlds into one."
"I can't ask you to leave your work in LA to join me here in Sunnydale," Buffy said still trying to work through her doubts. She was willing to risk her heart for love, but she was still scared. "But I love you too much to be away from you."
"I have no intention of giving up my work in LA. The people there need me," Angel told her as he stroked her soft silky hair. "But I need you."
"Do you really think we can do it? Do you really think we can find a compromise that will allow us to carry out our duties to the world and keep us together?" Buffy asked tilting her head back so that she could look into his eyes.
"I do," Angel answered with conviction before lowering his head to give Buffy a kiss full of promise and love.
Downstairs Joyce was impatiently waiting for Buffy and Angel to join her for breakfast. She was getting awfully hungry. Joyce raised her eyes to the ceiling and listened intently for any sounds that might indicate that the two reunited lovers would be joining her. When everything remained quiet she shrugged her shoulders in acceptance and reached for a rapidly cooling Belgian waffle. A smile played about her lips as she realized that a wedding would be taking place after all. And this time she knew her daughter would be very, very happy.
