Echo's From The Past - Chapter 5

Author's Note: Song is by Amanda Marshall.

Echo's From The Past

Chapter 5

Liam led Buffy into the restaurant and they stood in line waiting to be seated. Liam stood behind Buffy and she automatically leaned into him and his arms slipped around her waist without a thought. It was just like it had always been between them. Buffy closed her eyes and couldn't help think about how good it felt to be in these arms.

Buffy was snapped out of her reverie by Liam nudging her in the direction of the waitress who was showing them to their table. She watched Liam closely as he spoke with the waitress, ordering for both of them. It was amazing how different he was now to how he had been before. Without the guilt or constant pain and reminders of the things his demon had done it was like he stood taller because he didn't have the burden of Angelus on his shoulders anymore.

It was also amazing how Liam seemed to instinctively know what Buffy liked. He knew what her favorite foods were; he knew just what to do to calm her down. He knew how she liked to be touched and when he shouldn't touch her at all. In all the ways that were important he had remembered her, even if she had been lost in his mind his soul remembered her.

They ate their meal making small talk. Liam avoided anything heavy somehow just knowing that Buffy already had a lot on her mind. He'd sat close enough so he could hold her hand every now and then and they had shared one desert, feeding each other and laughing.

Buffy had excused herself to go to the ladies room. While Buffy was washing her hands and fixing her hair and makeup another girl came up to the sink.

"I hope you don't think I'm out of place here but I just wanted to tell you that you are so lucky."

"Why do you say that?" Buffy asked confused.

"I have been watching your date and I've never seen anyone so in love with someone else. It's nice to know love like that still exists."

Then the girl walked out of the bathroom leaving a stunned Buffy behind.

Buffy came out and headed back to their table but Liam was nowhere to be found. She looked around but to no avail.

"He's over there." The waitress said, pointing to the stage.

"Okay ladies and gentlemen it's amateur talent night and we have our first victim. Let's put our hands together for Liam."

"Hi everyone just wanted to warn you that I might just suck at this but Buffy it comes from my heart."

I don't know what I was thinking, 'til I was thinking of you

I don't remember a thing before I opened my eyes and you came into view

I don't know what I was doing when there was nothing to do

Must've been waiting for someone baby, now I can see I was waiting for you

I'd give up my sight just to see you, I'd beg, I would borrow and steal

I'd cut off my hands just to touch you and tear out my heart so you'd know how I feel

There's nowhere that I wouldn't follow, nothing that I wouldn't do

Cause I wouldn't wanna be me if I didn't have you

Driving myself to distraction until you got in my way

I was just whistling Dixie 'til you struck up the band and they started to play

I don't know how I was living until you came in my life

I always knew there was something missing then you came along baby you made it right

I'd give up my sight just to see you, I'd beg, I would borrow and steal

I'd cut off my hands just to touch you and tear out my heart so you'd know how I feel

There's nowhere that I wouldn't follow, nothing that I wouldn't do

Cause I wouldn't wanna be me if I didn't have you

I was alone in the silence 'til I was hearing your voice

I couldn't see my way clear until you parted the clouds and you gave me a choice

I couldn't pick up the pieces 'til I was falling apart

I didn't know I was bleeding 'til your love fixed this hole baby here in my heart

I'd give up my sight just to see you, I'd beg, I would borrow and steal

I'd cut off my hands just to touch you and tear out my heart so you'd know how I feel

There's nowhere that I wouldn't follow, there's no place that I'd rather be

Cause life without you would be hollow

This love is a gift and you gave it to me

All that I am you have made me and baby I know that it's true

I'd give it all up in a heartbeat just to spend every moment with you

There's nowhere that I wouldn't follow, nothing that I wouldn't do

Cause I wouldn't wanna be me if I didn't have you

Buffy's eyes filled with tears. Liam walked off the stage and over to Buffy through the applauding crowd. When he reached the table she was waiting with open arms. Liam embraced her warmly and pulled back only far enough to be able to kiss her and wipe away the tears that were streaming down her face.

Buffy and Liam left the restaurant and headed back to his place.

Once inside Liam's apartment Buffy collapsed onto the couch. Liam had gone into the kitchen and fixed himself a cup of tea.

"Do you want something to drink?"

"Whatever you're having will be fine."

Buffy thought about what she'd said and couldn't help but giggle. There was a time when all Angel had in his kitchen was o-positive. Liam came out with two cups of tea, handing one to her.

"What's so funny," he asked smiling down at her.

"Nothing."

"No, come on. Tell me"

Buffy looked into Liam's eyes and then took a sip of her tea. When she'd tasted it she couldn't help the tear that slipped down her cheek.

"What is it Buffy? Please talk to me."

She looked up into his pleading eyes and for a moment she wanted nothing more than to tell him everything. She wanted to tell him about their first meeting all the way to the final battle and everything in between.

"I can't. I don't know how."

"What do you mean?"

"I want nothing more than to tell you what you were, what I was. I want to tell you everything that happened, the good and the bad. I want you to know where we started from and where we ended up but I can't."

"Why?"

"Because…because I'm selfish. I want to look in your eyes and see that you know me but I don't want to see the pain. God this is so hard."

Buffy started crying and Liam reached out to her but Buffy pulled away.

"It's hard because you don't know, you don't have Angel's memories but sometimes you do things just the way he did. Things like this cup of tea, I never told you how I take my tea and yet you made it perfectly. You know what I like to eat, you know just how I like to be touched, and you know just what to say and for a moment I think I have you back but I don't. I don't and I think it doesn't matter because I…" Buffy's voice broke.

Liam pulled Buffy into his arms holding her close and stroking her hair. He brushed the tears that fell away from her face and placed a kiss atop her head.

"I…" Buffy tried again.

"You what?" Liam coaxed.

"I love you. I try not to but I can't stop." Buffy slid closer into his embrace.

"Me too. I can't stop either. Buffy, maybe we shouldn't…"

"Don't. Just kiss me."

Buffy never stopped to think that she and Angel had said those very words the fateful night of her seventeenth birthday as she pulled his mouth down over her own.

"I should go." Buffy said having reluctantly breaking their kiss.

Liam simply took her by the hand and led her to the bedroom. Without a word he undressed her and gave her a shirt of his own to wear like an oversized nightshirt. He then slipped out of his shirt and pants. He pulled the bed covers back and crawled into the bed, holding his hand out to her.

"Stay with me."

Buffy just smiled softly taking, Liam's hand and falling into bed beside him.

"Forever. That's the whole point."