Chapter Two: Unexpected Meetings
"It's really nice of your mom to take all our children for the weekend," Anya
smiled at the ex-slayer while her husband was driving towards L.A. "Are you sure
she can manage with them?"
"Mrs. Rosenberg has agreed to come and help," Buffy replied and ran a hand
through her hair. "Ashlynn thought it was the greatest idea ever. Grandma is
always allowing her to watch television in the evening. And David just loves to
stay with my mom."
"They are used to it," Xander eyed his long-time-friend through the rear mirror,
"but does she know what she's gotten herself into by taking six children under
10? Two of them being our deadly-duo?," he grinned at his last sentence. His and
Anay's sons were four and three and bundles of energy.
"She'll live," Buffy said mercilessly. "Maybe Matt and Mark can just torture
Willow's and Tara's daughters."
"You know," Anya frowned slightly, "usually a triangle like this would've called
me on the plan. While I was still a vengeance demon that is."
Her husband shrugged, "They are happy the way they live." Seeing the two women in the car raise their brows he said, "Okay, so I wasn't too supportive at first. The thought of Willow, Tara and Oz living happily together is something I had to get used to. But they are together for more than five years now and everything seems peachy. So why bother."
"Very open-minded of you," Buffy joked and searched her purse for a mirror.
They'd just passed the city limits of L.A. and she wanted to check her make-up.
"I really never thought, Cordy would marry someone like Gunn," he changed the
subject.
"I don't know Gunn too well, I just saw him once or twice, but on the phone she
sounded very happy," the ex-slayer replied.
"She is," Xander agreed. "That's not what I mean. It's just that I expected her
to marry someone with money, a big house, probably a film production company.
Something along those lines. Gunn is a nice chap, but he hasn't got a lot of
money, he's an ex-street-kid, an ex-demon-hunter." He paused for a moment and
shook his head as if to clear his mind. "But then Cordy has changed a
lot. There's barely anything left of Queen C."
"You see her quite often." It wasn't really a question.
Taking Anya's hand Xander answered it anyway, "We both do. Matt and Mark adore
Gunn. They think he's great fun and he's never tiring when he plays with them.
He's going to be a great father. And you should see Angel ...," he broke off,
realising what he just had said.
Buffy straightened on the rear seat, "Angel? You've seen Angel? I thought he was
living in New York?"
"He did," he replied. "He came back to L.A. a year ago."
"Oh," the ex-slayer nervously licked her lips. "So you ... saw him more than
once?"
"Several times during the last year. He, Gunn and Cordelia are very close. Like a family. After all they worked together for a long time," Xander replied, cursing himself for letting the ex-vampire's name slip. But maybe it was better that way and so he added, "He'll be at the wedding too."
Buffy throat instantly went dry. She should've expected it, he *was* close to
Cordelia, as Xander had said, and she knew it, but somehow she had avoided
thinking about it. Meeting him would be bad enough, but seeing him with another
woman. No, not just another woman. His wife. Clearing her throat she asked, "And
his wife? Did you meet her?"
"His wife? Oh, you mean Anna. No, she isn't in L.A.," Xander answered. "She's
still in New York. Maybe they commute, I don't know. Although it's a long
distance if you ask me."
The blonde shrugged, desperately trying to behave and sound casual, "So she might not be there?," she couldn't help the hope in her voice.
"Probably not," Anya said, fetching her sunglasses and putting them on. "We
haven't seen her once the past year and Angel never talks about her. He's nice
though. It's great fun to talk with him about the old times."
Xander quickly glanced at his wife and then exchanged an amused glance with the
slayer through the mirror. "Are you alright with it, Buffy?," he asked after a
moment.
"Me? Sure," her answer came a bit too quick, she hoped he didn't notice. "It'll
probably nice seeing him after so many years. And with Willow and Oz there it'll
almost like a Scoobie-reunion."
Xander looked at her again through the mirror, she had gone through a lot with
the divorce and all. He just hoped that meeting Angel wouldn't add more pain.
*****
"Stop fidgeting with your tie," Cordelia scolded gently and gave Angel a warm
smile. Who would've thought that they would ever feel like brother and sister.
But then nothing should really surprise you when you grew up on a hellmouth.
"Sorry," the ex-vampire smiled sheepishly and pushed his hands into the pockets
of his trousers.
"I know you're nervous, and I know why, but you just have to wait and see," she
turned in front of the mirror and then looked at him. "Now, what do you think?"
"Nice," he replied distractedly, staring at the ground.
"You didn't even look," she shot back.
His head snapped up and again his smile was rather sheepish. He sighed, "I'm
really sorry, Cordelia. You look wonderful. Gunn will forget how to breathe."
"Better not," she frowned. "He needs enough breath to say yes after all."
"He will," he patted her arm. "He's head over heals in love with you, don't
worry."
She gave him a grateful smile, "Thanks. And thanks for agreeing to lead me down
the aisle."
"I'm very sorry about your parents," his eyes were full of compassion. Her
parents had refused to come to their daughter's wedding. They didn't approve of a loser like Gunn, as her father had called him, as their future son-in-law.
Cordelia shrugged and Angel was glad to see that the initial pain at her parents
refusal had vanished from her eyes. "It's their loss. It's not as if they were
caring for me anyway. I admit it hurt first, but this is my life now and it will
be with Gunn, if they like it or not."
"Good for you," his smile was full of approval. "Gunn is lucky to get you."
"He better not forget it," she grinned and took the veil to put it on her hair.
"That's it then," she turned again in front of the mirror. "Are you ready?"
Thinking about a certain blonde he would see soon in the church, he took a deep
breath and then nodded. "Yeah. I'm ready." But his heart was beating hard in his
chest.
*****
"It's a lovely church," Willow who was sitting beside Buffy smiled at the
ex-slayer.
"Hmm.," was the only reply she got.
Frowning she turned to Xander, asking him with her eyes if something had happened on their way to L.A. Her childhood friend just shrugged and shook his head in the negative. What should he tell her? He'd never told anyone that he and Anya had been meeting Angel several times. Until it had slipped in the car. Now Buffy knew, but it was not important anymore, he told himself. She would see him soon. Angel had asked Xander not to tell Buffy and he had agreed and even Anya had kept her mouth shut, which was surprising. Usually she couldn't keep a secret for more than a minute. But by talking about old times ex-demon and ex-vampire had quickly found common ground, had almost become friends. He had to chuckle at that, but then he'd seen stranger things happen.
Gunn and Wesley, his best man, appeared in front of them and soon after the
priest entered the church. Then the music began to play and two bridesmaids came
down the aisle, Xander didn't know them, had to be some friends of Cordelia from
L.A., he'd never seen them before.
When the wedding march began all people in the church turned - all but Xander.
He was looking at Buffy. He saw her eyes widen as soon as she recognized the man
on whose arm Cordelia walked down the aisle. He also saw Willow's gaze fly to
him, the expression in her eyes completely stunned, but sudden understanding
dawned in them.
He turned his head to look at Angel and he had to suppress a smile seeing the
ex-vampire. He was leading Cordelia, but his eyes were scanning the guests. The moment he spotted Buffy he seemed to freeze and the former mayqueen had to
squeeze his arm to keep him from stopping.
Xander's and Cordelia's eyes met for a short moment and they exchanged a grin and he knew his former girlfriend had been right. The story between Angel and Buffy was far from being over.
End of Chapter Two.
"It's really nice of your mom to take all our children for the weekend," Anya
smiled at the ex-slayer while her husband was driving towards L.A. "Are you sure
she can manage with them?"
"Mrs. Rosenberg has agreed to come and help," Buffy replied and ran a hand
through her hair. "Ashlynn thought it was the greatest idea ever. Grandma is
always allowing her to watch television in the evening. And David just loves to
stay with my mom."
"They are used to it," Xander eyed his long-time-friend through the rear mirror,
"but does she know what she's gotten herself into by taking six children under
10? Two of them being our deadly-duo?," he grinned at his last sentence. His and
Anay's sons were four and three and bundles of energy.
"She'll live," Buffy said mercilessly. "Maybe Matt and Mark can just torture
Willow's and Tara's daughters."
"You know," Anya frowned slightly, "usually a triangle like this would've called
me on the plan. While I was still a vengeance demon that is."
Her husband shrugged, "They are happy the way they live." Seeing the two women in the car raise their brows he said, "Okay, so I wasn't too supportive at first. The thought of Willow, Tara and Oz living happily together is something I had to get used to. But they are together for more than five years now and everything seems peachy. So why bother."
"Very open-minded of you," Buffy joked and searched her purse for a mirror.
They'd just passed the city limits of L.A. and she wanted to check her make-up.
"I really never thought, Cordy would marry someone like Gunn," he changed the
subject.
"I don't know Gunn too well, I just saw him once or twice, but on the phone she
sounded very happy," the ex-slayer replied.
"She is," Xander agreed. "That's not what I mean. It's just that I expected her
to marry someone with money, a big house, probably a film production company.
Something along those lines. Gunn is a nice chap, but he hasn't got a lot of
money, he's an ex-street-kid, an ex-demon-hunter." He paused for a moment and
shook his head as if to clear his mind. "But then Cordy has changed a
lot. There's barely anything left of Queen C."
"You see her quite often." It wasn't really a question.
Taking Anya's hand Xander answered it anyway, "We both do. Matt and Mark adore
Gunn. They think he's great fun and he's never tiring when he plays with them.
He's going to be a great father. And you should see Angel ...," he broke off,
realising what he just had said.
Buffy straightened on the rear seat, "Angel? You've seen Angel? I thought he was
living in New York?"
"He did," he replied. "He came back to L.A. a year ago."
"Oh," the ex-slayer nervously licked her lips. "So you ... saw him more than
once?"
"Several times during the last year. He, Gunn and Cordelia are very close. Like a family. After all they worked together for a long time," Xander replied, cursing himself for letting the ex-vampire's name slip. But maybe it was better that way and so he added, "He'll be at the wedding too."
Buffy throat instantly went dry. She should've expected it, he *was* close to
Cordelia, as Xander had said, and she knew it, but somehow she had avoided
thinking about it. Meeting him would be bad enough, but seeing him with another
woman. No, not just another woman. His wife. Clearing her throat she asked, "And
his wife? Did you meet her?"
"His wife? Oh, you mean Anna. No, she isn't in L.A.," Xander answered. "She's
still in New York. Maybe they commute, I don't know. Although it's a long
distance if you ask me."
The blonde shrugged, desperately trying to behave and sound casual, "So she might not be there?," she couldn't help the hope in her voice.
"Probably not," Anya said, fetching her sunglasses and putting them on. "We
haven't seen her once the past year and Angel never talks about her. He's nice
though. It's great fun to talk with him about the old times."
Xander quickly glanced at his wife and then exchanged an amused glance with the
slayer through the mirror. "Are you alright with it, Buffy?," he asked after a
moment.
"Me? Sure," her answer came a bit too quick, she hoped he didn't notice. "It'll
probably nice seeing him after so many years. And with Willow and Oz there it'll
almost like a Scoobie-reunion."
Xander looked at her again through the mirror, she had gone through a lot with
the divorce and all. He just hoped that meeting Angel wouldn't add more pain.
*****
"Stop fidgeting with your tie," Cordelia scolded gently and gave Angel a warm
smile. Who would've thought that they would ever feel like brother and sister.
But then nothing should really surprise you when you grew up on a hellmouth.
"Sorry," the ex-vampire smiled sheepishly and pushed his hands into the pockets
of his trousers.
"I know you're nervous, and I know why, but you just have to wait and see," she
turned in front of the mirror and then looked at him. "Now, what do you think?"
"Nice," he replied distractedly, staring at the ground.
"You didn't even look," she shot back.
His head snapped up and again his smile was rather sheepish. He sighed, "I'm
really sorry, Cordelia. You look wonderful. Gunn will forget how to breathe."
"Better not," she frowned. "He needs enough breath to say yes after all."
"He will," he patted her arm. "He's head over heals in love with you, don't
worry."
She gave him a grateful smile, "Thanks. And thanks for agreeing to lead me down
the aisle."
"I'm very sorry about your parents," his eyes were full of compassion. Her
parents had refused to come to their daughter's wedding. They didn't approve of a loser like Gunn, as her father had called him, as their future son-in-law.
Cordelia shrugged and Angel was glad to see that the initial pain at her parents
refusal had vanished from her eyes. "It's their loss. It's not as if they were
caring for me anyway. I admit it hurt first, but this is my life now and it will
be with Gunn, if they like it or not."
"Good for you," his smile was full of approval. "Gunn is lucky to get you."
"He better not forget it," she grinned and took the veil to put it on her hair.
"That's it then," she turned again in front of the mirror. "Are you ready?"
Thinking about a certain blonde he would see soon in the church, he took a deep
breath and then nodded. "Yeah. I'm ready." But his heart was beating hard in his
chest.
*****
"It's a lovely church," Willow who was sitting beside Buffy smiled at the
ex-slayer.
"Hmm.," was the only reply she got.
Frowning she turned to Xander, asking him with her eyes if something had happened on their way to L.A. Her childhood friend just shrugged and shook his head in the negative. What should he tell her? He'd never told anyone that he and Anya had been meeting Angel several times. Until it had slipped in the car. Now Buffy knew, but it was not important anymore, he told himself. She would see him soon. Angel had asked Xander not to tell Buffy and he had agreed and even Anya had kept her mouth shut, which was surprising. Usually she couldn't keep a secret for more than a minute. But by talking about old times ex-demon and ex-vampire had quickly found common ground, had almost become friends. He had to chuckle at that, but then he'd seen stranger things happen.
Gunn and Wesley, his best man, appeared in front of them and soon after the
priest entered the church. Then the music began to play and two bridesmaids came
down the aisle, Xander didn't know them, had to be some friends of Cordelia from
L.A., he'd never seen them before.
When the wedding march began all people in the church turned - all but Xander.
He was looking at Buffy. He saw her eyes widen as soon as she recognized the man
on whose arm Cordelia walked down the aisle. He also saw Willow's gaze fly to
him, the expression in her eyes completely stunned, but sudden understanding
dawned in them.
He turned his head to look at Angel and he had to suppress a smile seeing the
ex-vampire. He was leading Cordelia, but his eyes were scanning the guests. The moment he spotted Buffy he seemed to freeze and the former mayqueen had to
squeeze his arm to keep him from stopping.
Xander's and Cordelia's eyes met for a short moment and they exchanged a grin and he knew his former girlfriend had been right. The story between Angel and Buffy was far from being over.
End of Chapter Two.