Chapter Fourteen: Husbands and Lovers


Angel merely quirked an eyebrow at the man , "Your wife?," he said. "I believe
she's your ex-wife now."

Brent Davenport was taken aback by the calm attitude of the dark stranger
standing only in sweat-pants and a t-shirt in his wife's apartment door. And of
course, he silently admitted, the stranger was right. Buffy wasn't married to him anymore, but his kids, he thought, were still his kids and somehow he didn't like the idea that they would find a strange man in the morning with their mother. "May I ask where Buffy is?," his voice was like ice and he inwardly patted himself on the shoulder for this.

"She'll be here soon. But why don't you come in?," the ex-vampire flashed the
ex-husband a friendly smile, that didn't reach his eyes. They contained a silent
warning, that this was his territory now. Angel knew there wasn't a chance Brent
would misread the message, Angelus had mastered this sort of communication over
the centuries. And as expected, the other man swallowed - hard.

Brent didn't exactly know how to behave around this man he'd never seen before.
And he was surprised too. He hadn't thought of Buffy finding a new lover so
quickly. Hell, if he was honest, he hadn't thought her to take a lover at all.
Sure they had had some great sex, but he'd met more passionate women over the
years, for Buffy, sex sometimes seemed more like something she owed him more as
she enjoyed it. It had been one of the reasons why their marriage hadn't lasted.

He followed the stranger into the living-room, studying his back and the way he
moved. It all spoke of strength, his movements reminded him of a dangerous
animal, ready to strike if necessary. Of course he didn't know how close his
thoughts were to the reality. Brent knew about vampires and demons, when he and
Buffy had met the hellmouth hadn't been closed at all. But he'd never been
personally involved in the slaying, simply because there had to be someone
watching Ashlynn when she was a baby and later on ... well, they were just
drifting apart and Buffy wouldn't confide in him anymore.

His thoughts were interrupted by Angel's question, "Do you want some coffee? We
were just having breakfast when you came."

There it was again, this silent message he'd read before and that told him 'hands off'. He could've told the stranger that he wasn't interested in Buffy anymore. Sure he still thought her attractive, but he had been the one to file for a divorce and he'd had good reasons. But even if he *had* been interested still, he would've thought twice now seeing the dangerous glimpse in the other man's eyes. He didn't threaten him, no he was friendly and welcoming, but the message was unmistakeable. Brent slowly shook his head, "No, thanks."

"Alright," there was that friendly smile again, "I'll go and get Buffy." With
this Angel turned around and left the ex-husband on his own, still trying to
figure out who the hell this stranger was, he'd never heard about before.

***

As soon as Angel appeared in the doorway of the bedroom, Buffy pulled him inside
and slammed the door shut. Then she broke down in a fit of giggles. "I ...c-can't believe you d-did that," she couldn't stop laughing. Her hand over her heart she tried to calm down, "Where did you learn that attitude?"

He quirked a brow, "What do you think?"

"Oh no," she shook her head, "you got this from your demon." Then she suddenly
nodded, "Yeah, he would've reacted like this."

"Plus he'd ripped his heart out of course," he added dryly.

"And that," she confirmed, then laughed again. "God, I'm sure Brent almost had a
heart attack. If he'd known who you are ... were ... this is so good."

He smiled, "I'm glad you're not angry."

"Angry? Oh, Angel, no. It was great." She broke off and sobered. "Now you
probably think I hate Brent. But I swear I don't. Actually I'm not interested at
all in him, but he can be such a snob and that was just right."

"Did you know he'd come to Sunnydale this weekend?," Angel asked while he was
picking up his clothes from the bedroom floor. He was glad that he'd collected
the rest that had been laying in the hallway before the arrival of the
ex-husband. Not that Brent hadn't instantly known who he was. Angel's clothes and the way he acted made it perfectly clear, still it was a different thing to see scattered clothes everywhere.

"No," Buffy shook her head. "I haven't talked to him for," she gestured with her
hand, "ages." She sat down on the bed and pulled the socks over her feet. "But
that's just so like him. Ever since we split up, even when he still lived in
Sunnydale, he acted as if he had to press the children somewhere into his
schedule." She looked up and shook her head, "At the beginning he was really
caring for Ashlynn. He had always time for her but it seems as if ...," she broke off, clearly not liking her thoughts very much.

Angel threw his clothes over a chair and kneeled down in front of her, cupping
her face in his hands, "If what?," he asked and gazed deeply into her eyes.

She sighed unhappily and covered his hands with hers, "I think the moment he
realised that I didn't love him, his love for the children faded as well. Or more precisely for Ashlynn. David wasn't even born then. It was as if he couldn't bear to be around her, maybe because she's so much like me," she shrugged helplessly, "maybe she reminds him of the failure of this marriage, not
consciously, but well ... I don't know."

His voice was very gentle and she could see the love in his eyes when he asked,
"And you think you're responsible for it? Was that the reason you waited until he filed for a divorce?"

She shrugged again and tried to turn her head away, but he didn't remove his
hands, forced her to look at him. "Buffy, that's nothing to be ashamed of. It's
just a human reaction."

She took a shaky breath and tried a wobbly smile, "I should've finished this, our marriage, much earlier, but I ... I just couldn't. Then I even agreed to have David to save what hadn't been existing for years. Angel, I was so blind. If I'd reacted more like a mature person we would've been together for years." Tears were standing in her eyes now and when the first fell he tenderly wiped them away with his thumb.

"Oh Buffy," he leaned forwards and kissed her gently on the mouth. "Please don't
do this. Don't try to blame yourself for something that cannot be changed. It's
in the past."

"But you said yourself that you only stayed away because you knew I was married.
If I'd been divorced ...," she trailed off, looking utterly miserable.

"And if I wouldn't have agreed to turn back time we might be together even
longer," he retorted.

"No," she protested, "there was a perfectly good reason you did it while I ..."

"NO," his response was sharp and she gasped at the determination in his eyes.
"Listen to me Buffy. We have to stop that. *You* have to stop it. No blaming, the past is the past. It's over and done with. Now we're moving on, together. That's the only thing that counts. We won't forget what happened in the past, because it's part of who we are, but nothing more. Do you understand?"

She stared at him for a long moment and then her face broke into a smile, "I love you," she whispered. "So, so, so very much. Looking back I don't even know how I managed to go on without you."

"But you did, because you're a wonderful, strong woman, I love with all my
heart," he smiled as well, "And now you should go and talk to Brent. Otherwise he might think we're enjoying a morning quickie in here." He grinned, "Not that I would mind, him thinking it, I mean, but ..."

"Oh you," she scolded him gently, then sighed, "Alright, I'll go and talk to
him." They both stood up and Buffy walked over to the door. Before she slipped
out of the room she flashed him a grin, "This morning quickie-thingy ... we
shouldn't forget about it." And then she was gone while Angel thought the smile
on his face would last for ages.

****

Brent looked up when he heard a noise from the door. "Buffy," he said not
standing up, just raising a brow, while his eyes noticed every detail of her
appearance. He couldn't deny it, she looked like a woman well loved, and as much
as he tried he couldn't remember she'd ever looked like this with him. "I ... I
met your friend." He added.

"I know," was all she replied. She leaned at the doorway, her arms crossed. "What are you doing here?"

With a sigh he stood and looked at her, "I came to see my children. It's been
quite some time..."

"Damn right," she pushed herself off of the doorframe and stepped closer to him,
"Can you even remember when was the last time you called Ashlynn?"

"I'm really sorry, but these past weeks have been crazy. The new job, the new
town and Danielle...," he stopped, realising his slip.

"Danielle," she raised a brow, but she wasn't angry, he realised. If he saw any
emotion in her eyes it was faint amusement. What had happened to the bitter,
frustrated woman he'd met the last time he'd been around? Reminding himself of the stranger in the bedroom he knew the answer.

Still he blushed slightly when he admitted, "Yeah ... she is ... well, we're
seeing each other."

A smile played around her lips, "I see. Well, I hope she is nice." She shook her
head and he could see the laughter in her eyes. "About the children. They are
with my mom. But of course you can go and see them. They'll be so happy, at least Ashlynn will be, with David ... he doesn't really miss you." She saw him flinch and amended, "Sorry, I think that didn't come out the way I wanted. I don't mean that he doesn't know you, he does. But for a two year old the people around him are the most important. That's all."

"I know," he sighed and ran a hand through his hair, "As much as I hate it, I
have to accept it, I suppose. I love David and Ashlynn, you have to believe me."

"I know," she replied. "You just have other priorities at the moment."

His head snapped up and he looked at her sharply, but there wasn't anger in her
eyes, just a deep knowledge and he suddenly remembered that her father had acted
similar around her. Not eager to discuss the subject any further he nodded
towards the bedroom, "How long do you know each other?"

She seemed to consider her answer, but then said, "We go way back, Brent. I met
him when I was sixteen years old."

He stared at her while the memory of a conversation slowly surfaced, something
Willow had once said to him.

(*Don't be angry with her Brent. She loves you the best way she can.*

*I know, Willow, but sometimes she ... I don't know ... she seems far away ...
she doesn't want to talk about it, but ... is there someone I should know about?*

*There has been someone. But there's really no reason to talk about it, they can
never be together. All Buffy can do is move on and you should be glad she does it with you, because she is a really special girl.*

*Yes, she is.*)

"It's him, isn't it," he asked, suddenly understanding why the stranger had
seemed so close to his wife, so protective and possessive.

"Huh?," she looked at him in confusion.

"I know you never talked about it, but somehow I felt ... and I asked Willow. She said there'd been a man, but you couldn't be together. Is it him?"

"Yes," she answered without hesitation, her eyes gazing straight into his.

"And you love him?"

"Yes, I love him very much. And the children love him. He's been wonderful with
them. I don't want you to feel guilty about it or bad," she added quickly.
"Maybe," she bit her lower lip, "maybe you could be glad that their mother's new
friend is so good with them."

Brent studied her face for a long moment, then sighed and nodded, "I suppose I
should. Not that I like the idea that David might call him Dad," he saw the
protest in her eyes and held up a hand, "he is a little boy and it's only
understandable that he will turn towards a man who is constantly around him. But
that's probably the price I have to pay for being successful in my job." He
frowned slightly and then asked, "What's he ... What's his name by the way?"

"Angel."

"Angel? An unusual name, wouldn't you say? Never mind, what's he doing?"

"Several things. He's financially independent. Why?"

"Just curious I think," Brent replied. "Alright then. I think I'll better leave
you on your own now. I'm going to take the kids for some hours. Unfortunately I
have to be back in New York tomorrow noon, so I'll be taking a late flight."

"Sure, as I said, they'll be happy to see you. Tell mom, I'm calling her later."

"Okay," he nodded and was already walking towards the door, when he turned again
and looked at her, "As much as I hate to admit it Buffy, but I think I never saw
you so happy before."

She smiled in response, "That's because I am happy. Have a nice day with the
kids."

"Yeah," he grinned, "and you with ... well, whatever you are doing."

When he was out of the door, Buffy smiled to herself and then began to laugh,
God, what a morning.

End Chapter Fourteen