********
Part 23
11:30 pm
When they arrived, Buffy jumped out and ran to Angel's side. She put
an arm around his waist to help him walk into the building.
"Buffy, I'm fine," Angel protested.
"You've just been stabbed," she reminded him. "Let me help you."
He nodded, not really minding her arm around his waist. Besides, if he lowered his head just slightly, he could catch the scent
of her shampoo...Yes, he was hopeless; he knew this.
Buffy helped him inside, and he pointed toward the
hallway. "Bathroom." She nodded, and they walked into the room.
"Get your shirt off," she said as she found the bandages and alcohol.
Angel did as asked and looked down at the wound. It didn't look all
_that_ bad, even though it hurt like hell.
Buffy turned back to Angel and had to catch her breath. She'd as of
yet not seen him shirtless and she realized now that that was a good
thing. He'd stayed in shape, his muscles were still well-toned. She
noticed something else: he now was developing a tan. And if anything,
it made him look even more incredible than she'd remembered.
Angel noticed her blushing as she looked at his bare chest. He hid
a smile, glad she liked what she saw. He definitely liked what he
saw, her clothes still clinging to her body. She was a vision to him
always, but was even more of one tonight.
*STOP!* Buffy ordered herself, and bent her head to examine his knife
wound. She grabbed a towel, and gently tried to clear away the blood,
so she could see how bad the gash in his side was. She moved around
behind him, to examine and clean up the entry wound also. She grabbed
a bandage, and applied it to his wound after taping together the edges. She hoped it would heal and wouldn't need stitches. They'd know it needed stitches if it didn't stop bleeding in a few minutes.
Angel tried to control his reactions as Buffy began to touch him,
bandaging him up. The feel of her soft fingers on his skin was cruel
and unusual punishment though.
Buffy began to shake as the reality of what had just happened finally
began to sink in. *The knife could as easily have entered his body
elsewhere. He could have died tonight!* She finally finished
bandaging him and stepped back, trying to get hold of her emotions.
Angel noticed Buffy was trembling. It was probably a delayed reaction, he realized. The adrenaline rush had finally worn off and the reality of their earlier danger had hit her. He'd been about to say something to her, something reassuring, when she'd put her hand to her mouth, stifling a sob. She turned away.
"Buffy?" He'd put his hand on her shoulder, worried.
She wanted nothing more than for him to hold her, but her more
obstinate need to prove herself independent took over. She shrugged
off his hand, not meeting his eyes. "I need a minute alone," she
whispered.
Angel was hurt when she flinched away from his touch. He'd thought
they were making progress, repairing the damaged trust between them.
But now she was closing off from him and he didn't know how to get
through to her. He sighed. "Okay. I'm going to go upstairs
and change out of these wet clothes, then I'll be in the lobby.
Buffy, you're bleeding, you need to clean and bandage your arm," he reminded her gently. He wasn't sure if she'd even realized it yet.
She nodded, then heard him walk out, shutting the door behind him.
Then she finally let go, leaning on the sink as she cried freely,
releasing her pent-up emotions.
***********
Part 23
11:30 pm
When they arrived, Buffy jumped out and ran to Angel's side. She put
an arm around his waist to help him walk into the building.
"Buffy, I'm fine," Angel protested.
"You've just been stabbed," she reminded him. "Let me help you."
He nodded, not really minding her arm around his waist. Besides, if he lowered his head just slightly, he could catch the scent
of her shampoo...Yes, he was hopeless; he knew this.
Buffy helped him inside, and he pointed toward the
hallway. "Bathroom." She nodded, and they walked into the room.
"Get your shirt off," she said as she found the bandages and alcohol.
Angel did as asked and looked down at the wound. It didn't look all
_that_ bad, even though it hurt like hell.
Buffy turned back to Angel and had to catch her breath. She'd as of
yet not seen him shirtless and she realized now that that was a good
thing. He'd stayed in shape, his muscles were still well-toned. She
noticed something else: he now was developing a tan. And if anything,
it made him look even more incredible than she'd remembered.
Angel noticed her blushing as she looked at his bare chest. He hid
a smile, glad she liked what she saw. He definitely liked what he
saw, her clothes still clinging to her body. She was a vision to him
always, but was even more of one tonight.
*STOP!* Buffy ordered herself, and bent her head to examine his knife
wound. She grabbed a towel, and gently tried to clear away the blood,
so she could see how bad the gash in his side was. She moved around
behind him, to examine and clean up the entry wound also. She grabbed
a bandage, and applied it to his wound after taping together the edges. She hoped it would heal and wouldn't need stitches. They'd know it needed stitches if it didn't stop bleeding in a few minutes.
Angel tried to control his reactions as Buffy began to touch him,
bandaging him up. The feel of her soft fingers on his skin was cruel
and unusual punishment though.
Buffy began to shake as the reality of what had just happened finally
began to sink in. *The knife could as easily have entered his body
elsewhere. He could have died tonight!* She finally finished
bandaging him and stepped back, trying to get hold of her emotions.
Angel noticed Buffy was trembling. It was probably a delayed reaction, he realized. The adrenaline rush had finally worn off and the reality of their earlier danger had hit her. He'd been about to say something to her, something reassuring, when she'd put her hand to her mouth, stifling a sob. She turned away.
"Buffy?" He'd put his hand on her shoulder, worried.
She wanted nothing more than for him to hold her, but her more
obstinate need to prove herself independent took over. She shrugged
off his hand, not meeting his eyes. "I need a minute alone," she
whispered.
Angel was hurt when she flinched away from his touch. He'd thought
they were making progress, repairing the damaged trust between them.
But now she was closing off from him and he didn't know how to get
through to her. He sighed. "Okay. I'm going to go upstairs
and change out of these wet clothes, then I'll be in the lobby.
Buffy, you're bleeding, you need to clean and bandage your arm," he reminded her gently. He wasn't sure if she'd even realized it yet.
She nodded, then heard him walk out, shutting the door behind him.
Then she finally let go, leaning on the sink as she cried freely,
releasing her pent-up emotions.
***********