Song lyrics in this part from I Need You by LeAnn Rimes....
***************
6 pm
"Angel?" Buffy walked into the Hyperion and looked around.
They'd parted a couple hours earlier, after lunch. Angel had
told her he wanted to take her out again, to movie and then
dancing. So she'd gone back to her hotel room for a couple of
hours. She needed time to herself, after all that had happened
in the past twenty-four hours. Not to mention to call Willow.
Buffy smiled as she remembered how thrilled Willow had been for
her. She'd needed Willow's insistence that 'everything would
work out great', it had kept her from losing her nerve
completely. After the call, Buffy changed, into a red,
longsleeved, low-cut top and a pair of black pants.
So now here she was, looking for Angel. "In this huge hotel,
where could he be?" she wondered. Never one to put much stock in
the merits of patience, she decided to go look for him. She had
only to use her 'Angel-sense' and she soon located him on the
roof of the building.
"Not planning on jumping, are ya?" she teased.
Angel jumped and turned at the sound of her voice. "That's
not...uh..." He completely forgot what he was going to say when
he looked at her. *So beautiful. What did I ever do to deserve
her?*
Buffy couldn't help the blush in response to the way Angel
looked at her. Obviously he liked her outfit. He looked nice,
too. *Nice. Understatement there. He looks incredible. No
surprise, though, because when did Angel not look good? Buffy
would you stop acting like a teenager? Speak!*
"So what are you doing up here?" she asked.
"I just wanted to watch the sunset," Angel replied with a shrug.
"The roof of the Hyperion has about the best view for that in
the city."
"Mind if I stay up here with you?" she asked hesitantly.
There was a gust of wind and Angel pushed an errant lock of hair
out of her face. His fingers brushed her cheek and he felt the
slightest shiver when he did. *Back off, Angel. Don't push her.*
he told himself. He dropped his hand back to his side again
reluctantly. "I'd love if you did," he answered with a smile.
Buffy smiled in reply and turned her back to him then. He moved
as close to her as he dared, inhaling the scent of her perfume.
He recognized it, she'd worn it back in highschool too. He had
always associated it with her, ever since then. It had been
rather irritating, years later, when he was in a public place
and would catch the scent. His soul screamed her name, while his
mind tried to forget. Now, though, it was Buffy, and Angel was
happy for the first time in a very long time.
Having Angel standing so close but not touching her put Buffy on
edge. She wanted - needed - to feel his arms around her. *That's
wrong.* she told herself. ~Why?~ *It just is.* ~Yeah, _that's_ a
reason.~ Buffy shook her head, internal debates always made her
head hurt. She stepped back, pressing herself against Angel with
a sigh of contentment. She smiled when his arms instinctively
went around her waist. *Much better.* ~Yes, it is.~
Angel's breath caught in his throat when Buffy pressed herself
back against him. He chose not to question or overanalyze
though. He wrapped his arms around her waist and relaxed when he
heard her sigh happily.
They stood in silence for several minutes, watching the sun set
over the horizon. Or in this case, behind the buildings. They
remained as twilight fell, neither wanting to end the moment.
Then Angel felt it, just the slightest catch of breath gave it
away. Buffy was crying. "What's wrong?" he whispered in her ear.
*Damn it.* Buffy sighed. She hadn't wanted him to know she was
crying. "Nothing."
"Buffy..." Angel turned her around to face him. "Talk to me,
please," he said as he put his fingers under her chin and lifted
her head to face him.
"Really, Angel, there's nothing wrong. Feeling your heart beat,
having a picnic in the sun with you, watching the sunset with
you... these are all things I wanted for so long. Everything's
right, for the first time in ... well, ever," Buffy shrugged.
"So I wasn't crying because I was sad, I was crying because I
was happy."
"Oh," Angel said, breathing a sigh of relief. "I'm glad. I mean,
not glad, but--"
Buffy put her hand on his arm. "I get it. So, don't we have a
movie to get to?"
"Yeah, after you," Angel replied, then followed her back into
the hotel and out to his car.
**********
9 pm
After the movie, Angel drove them to a local club. He and Buffy
walked into the crowded building hand-in-hand. They found a
table after a little bit of searching. They sat and Buffy looked
at him questioningly.
"No," he said.
"Angel--"
"I don't dance."
"Why did you bring me to a club if you weren't going to dance
with me?" she asked with an amused expression.
"I..." *Good question.* "Trust me, you don't want to see me
dancing. I've been told it's not a pretty sight," he said with a
grin.
"A: You didn't answer my question. B: If I recall correctly, you
always managed fine. Now stop being silly and dance with me,"
she insisted as she stood and walked over to his side.
He looked into her eyes and saw she wasn't going to take no for
an answer. Not that the possibility of dancing with Buffy,
holding her in his arms, bothered him all _that_ much. "Okay,"
he shrugged.
"You were just trying to be difficult, weren't you," she accused
him.
"Who, me?" Angel grinned. "Never." He took her by the hand and
led her out to the dance floor. He wrapped his arms around her
waist as she put her arms around his neck and laid her head on
his chest.
//I don't need a lot of things,
I can get by with nothing
Of all the blessings life can bring,
I've always needed something
But I've got all I want
When it comes to loving you
You're my only reason,
You're my only truth//
Angel smiled as he listened to the song. It was speaking his
thoughts perfectly. This woman in his arms was all he'd ever
wanted. She was the only reason he'd ever had for living.
Buffy had been mesmerized by listening to Angel's heartbeat. She
doubted it was something she'd ever get tired of hearing. Her
own heart skipped a beat when Angel whispered in her ear the
words to the chorus of the song that was playing.
//I need you like water
Like breath, like rain
I need you like mercy
From heaven's gate
There's a freedom in your arms
That carries me through
I need you//
She tilted her head up to look into his eyes; and almost forgot
to breathe when she saw the adoring way he was looking at her.
"Buffy--"
She put her fingers to his lips. "Enough talking," she said.
"I'm tired of talking."
Angel got the hint. He pressed a kiss to the tips of her
fingers, then cradled her face in his hands. He finally leaned
in to kiss her and Buffy felt like her legs would give out. It
was the sweetest, gentlest kiss. She threaded her fingers in his
hair and held him close, never wanting it to stop.
//You're the hope that moves me
To courage again
You're the love that rescues me
When the cold winds rage
And it's so amazing
'Cause that's just how you are
And I can't turn back now
'Cause you've brought me too far//
Angel pulled away and rested his forehead against hers, looking
into her eyes. His heart was racing, he felt like he would
hyperventilate. He wasn't sure how he'd managed to wait so long
to kiss her, but he was glad he had. They had a second chance
and he planned to do things right this time.
"I love you so much, Buffy," he said, his voice husky with
emotion.
"I know you do," she replied with a smile. "I love you too,
Angel."
He smiled and kissed her again, this time more passionately. His
tongue sought entrance into her mouth and she granted it
willingly with a moan. She clutched him tighter as he explored
her mouth thoroughly, reminding her why she'd always loved
kissing him.
//I need you like water
Like breath, like rain
I need you like mercy
From heaven's gate
There's a freedom in your arms
That carries me through
I need you//
He wasn't sure how he'd managed to wait so long to kiss her, he
felt like he'd been made to kiss her and only her. He didn't
regret taking things slowly, though. She'd given him a second
chance and he planned to spend the rest of his life doing
nothing more than making her happy. He wanted things to be
perfect.
He pulled away and smiled at her dazed expression. He kissed her
once more quickly then pulled her close. She sighed happily and
relaxed against him again, and Angel felt they were definitely
on the road to making things perfect.
***************
***************
6 pm
"Angel?" Buffy walked into the Hyperion and looked around.
They'd parted a couple hours earlier, after lunch. Angel had
told her he wanted to take her out again, to movie and then
dancing. So she'd gone back to her hotel room for a couple of
hours. She needed time to herself, after all that had happened
in the past twenty-four hours. Not to mention to call Willow.
Buffy smiled as she remembered how thrilled Willow had been for
her. She'd needed Willow's insistence that 'everything would
work out great', it had kept her from losing her nerve
completely. After the call, Buffy changed, into a red,
longsleeved, low-cut top and a pair of black pants.
So now here she was, looking for Angel. "In this huge hotel,
where could he be?" she wondered. Never one to put much stock in
the merits of patience, she decided to go look for him. She had
only to use her 'Angel-sense' and she soon located him on the
roof of the building.
"Not planning on jumping, are ya?" she teased.
Angel jumped and turned at the sound of her voice. "That's
not...uh..." He completely forgot what he was going to say when
he looked at her. *So beautiful. What did I ever do to deserve
her?*
Buffy couldn't help the blush in response to the way Angel
looked at her. Obviously he liked her outfit. He looked nice,
too. *Nice. Understatement there. He looks incredible. No
surprise, though, because when did Angel not look good? Buffy
would you stop acting like a teenager? Speak!*
"So what are you doing up here?" she asked.
"I just wanted to watch the sunset," Angel replied with a shrug.
"The roof of the Hyperion has about the best view for that in
the city."
"Mind if I stay up here with you?" she asked hesitantly.
There was a gust of wind and Angel pushed an errant lock of hair
out of her face. His fingers brushed her cheek and he felt the
slightest shiver when he did. *Back off, Angel. Don't push her.*
he told himself. He dropped his hand back to his side again
reluctantly. "I'd love if you did," he answered with a smile.
Buffy smiled in reply and turned her back to him then. He moved
as close to her as he dared, inhaling the scent of her perfume.
He recognized it, she'd worn it back in highschool too. He had
always associated it with her, ever since then. It had been
rather irritating, years later, when he was in a public place
and would catch the scent. His soul screamed her name, while his
mind tried to forget. Now, though, it was Buffy, and Angel was
happy for the first time in a very long time.
Having Angel standing so close but not touching her put Buffy on
edge. She wanted - needed - to feel his arms around her. *That's
wrong.* she told herself. ~Why?~ *It just is.* ~Yeah, _that's_ a
reason.~ Buffy shook her head, internal debates always made her
head hurt. She stepped back, pressing herself against Angel with
a sigh of contentment. She smiled when his arms instinctively
went around her waist. *Much better.* ~Yes, it is.~
Angel's breath caught in his throat when Buffy pressed herself
back against him. He chose not to question or overanalyze
though. He wrapped his arms around her waist and relaxed when he
heard her sigh happily.
They stood in silence for several minutes, watching the sun set
over the horizon. Or in this case, behind the buildings. They
remained as twilight fell, neither wanting to end the moment.
Then Angel felt it, just the slightest catch of breath gave it
away. Buffy was crying. "What's wrong?" he whispered in her ear.
*Damn it.* Buffy sighed. She hadn't wanted him to know she was
crying. "Nothing."
"Buffy..." Angel turned her around to face him. "Talk to me,
please," he said as he put his fingers under her chin and lifted
her head to face him.
"Really, Angel, there's nothing wrong. Feeling your heart beat,
having a picnic in the sun with you, watching the sunset with
you... these are all things I wanted for so long. Everything's
right, for the first time in ... well, ever," Buffy shrugged.
"So I wasn't crying because I was sad, I was crying because I
was happy."
"Oh," Angel said, breathing a sigh of relief. "I'm glad. I mean,
not glad, but--"
Buffy put her hand on his arm. "I get it. So, don't we have a
movie to get to?"
"Yeah, after you," Angel replied, then followed her back into
the hotel and out to his car.
**********
9 pm
After the movie, Angel drove them to a local club. He and Buffy
walked into the crowded building hand-in-hand. They found a
table after a little bit of searching. They sat and Buffy looked
at him questioningly.
"No," he said.
"Angel--"
"I don't dance."
"Why did you bring me to a club if you weren't going to dance
with me?" she asked with an amused expression.
"I..." *Good question.* "Trust me, you don't want to see me
dancing. I've been told it's not a pretty sight," he said with a
grin.
"A: You didn't answer my question. B: If I recall correctly, you
always managed fine. Now stop being silly and dance with me,"
she insisted as she stood and walked over to his side.
He looked into her eyes and saw she wasn't going to take no for
an answer. Not that the possibility of dancing with Buffy,
holding her in his arms, bothered him all _that_ much. "Okay,"
he shrugged.
"You were just trying to be difficult, weren't you," she accused
him.
"Who, me?" Angel grinned. "Never." He took her by the hand and
led her out to the dance floor. He wrapped his arms around her
waist as she put her arms around his neck and laid her head on
his chest.
//I don't need a lot of things,
I can get by with nothing
Of all the blessings life can bring,
I've always needed something
But I've got all I want
When it comes to loving you
You're my only reason,
You're my only truth//
Angel smiled as he listened to the song. It was speaking his
thoughts perfectly. This woman in his arms was all he'd ever
wanted. She was the only reason he'd ever had for living.
Buffy had been mesmerized by listening to Angel's heartbeat. She
doubted it was something she'd ever get tired of hearing. Her
own heart skipped a beat when Angel whispered in her ear the
words to the chorus of the song that was playing.
//I need you like water
Like breath, like rain
I need you like mercy
From heaven's gate
There's a freedom in your arms
That carries me through
I need you//
She tilted her head up to look into his eyes; and almost forgot
to breathe when she saw the adoring way he was looking at her.
"Buffy--"
She put her fingers to his lips. "Enough talking," she said.
"I'm tired of talking."
Angel got the hint. He pressed a kiss to the tips of her
fingers, then cradled her face in his hands. He finally leaned
in to kiss her and Buffy felt like her legs would give out. It
was the sweetest, gentlest kiss. She threaded her fingers in his
hair and held him close, never wanting it to stop.
//You're the hope that moves me
To courage again
You're the love that rescues me
When the cold winds rage
And it's so amazing
'Cause that's just how you are
And I can't turn back now
'Cause you've brought me too far//
Angel pulled away and rested his forehead against hers, looking
into her eyes. His heart was racing, he felt like he would
hyperventilate. He wasn't sure how he'd managed to wait so long
to kiss her, but he was glad he had. They had a second chance
and he planned to do things right this time.
"I love you so much, Buffy," he said, his voice husky with
emotion.
"I know you do," she replied with a smile. "I love you too,
Angel."
He smiled and kissed her again, this time more passionately. His
tongue sought entrance into her mouth and she granted it
willingly with a moan. She clutched him tighter as he explored
her mouth thoroughly, reminding her why she'd always loved
kissing him.
//I need you like water
Like breath, like rain
I need you like mercy
From heaven's gate
There's a freedom in your arms
That carries me through
I need you//
He wasn't sure how he'd managed to wait so long to kiss her, he
felt like he'd been made to kiss her and only her. He didn't
regret taking things slowly, though. She'd given him a second
chance and he planned to spend the rest of his life doing
nothing more than making her happy. He wanted things to be
perfect.
He pulled away and smiled at her dazed expression. He kissed her
once more quickly then pulled her close. She sighed happily and
relaxed against him again, and Angel felt they were definitely
on the road to making things perfect.
***************