Part 2: Ecstasy
Buffy was worried. She'd gone to bed after completing her homework, knowing Angel was on patrol for her. As usual she stayed awake, waiting for him to come to her window for a good night kiss. He hadn't shown. She'd waited for hours, and fallen into a troubled sleep. All through morning classes she couldn't concentrate. Finally when the lunch bell rang she sprinted out of school, not even stopping to give her friends an explanation. As fast as she could she ran to the mansion, only ceasing when she was inside the doors.
It was as quiet as always inside, which she found comforting. Quietly, she tiptoed through the mansion to Angel's bedroom. She breathed a small sigh of relief when she saw him stretched out on his bed, deep in sleep. Carefully she moved over to the bed and sat next to him, holding his hand in hers.
At first she didn't notice, too absorbed in watching him to be fully aware. But gradually she realised that his hand was warm. As in, generating it's own heat. Hope and wonder fluttered in her soul as she nervously placed two fingers over his jugular. A steady push against her fingers made a grin spread across her face like she hadn't experienced in what felt like years. The touch roused Angel, and he cracked his eyes open slightly.
"Buffy," he mumbled when he saw her. Her face glistened in the light, and he realised she was crying. Slowly he pushed himself into a sitting position and rubbed his eyes free of sleepy dust. Eventually he turned to her. "Buffy?" he repeated, "What are you doing here? I thought you had school today?" To his surprise, Buffy threw her arms around his neck as sobs erupted from her. Angel instinctively held her close as she cried. "Hush, love. What's wrong?" he murmured comfortingly. Buffy pulled back slowly, the biggest smile on her face.
"Nothing's wrong," she sniffled, "I've never been so happy!" Again she hugged him tight as Angel tried to work out the puzzle.
"If you're so happy why are you crying?" he asked. Buffy grabbed his hand and placed it over his heart. Beneath his fingers he could feel the steady thumping. "It's...it's real?" he breathed, "It's real!! I'm alive! Hahaha!" He leapt out of bed, pulling Buffy with him as they span round and round, before crashing into each other in a fiery kiss of happiness and lust and relief. When they calmed down, Buffy leaned back in his arms.
"You realise what this means, don't you?" she said, "No more fighting, no more darkness. You're free now Angel. You're free." He nodded slowly, leaning his forehead on hers.
"I maybe free, but I'll stay with you forever. I promise." Fresh tears poured down Buffy's cheeks, so happy was she to hear that.
"C'mon!" she cried suddenly, pulling him towards the door, "We have to go tell the others!"
Buffy was worried. She'd gone to bed after completing her homework, knowing Angel was on patrol for her. As usual she stayed awake, waiting for him to come to her window for a good night kiss. He hadn't shown. She'd waited for hours, and fallen into a troubled sleep. All through morning classes she couldn't concentrate. Finally when the lunch bell rang she sprinted out of school, not even stopping to give her friends an explanation. As fast as she could she ran to the mansion, only ceasing when she was inside the doors.
It was as quiet as always inside, which she found comforting. Quietly, she tiptoed through the mansion to Angel's bedroom. She breathed a small sigh of relief when she saw him stretched out on his bed, deep in sleep. Carefully she moved over to the bed and sat next to him, holding his hand in hers.
At first she didn't notice, too absorbed in watching him to be fully aware. But gradually she realised that his hand was warm. As in, generating it's own heat. Hope and wonder fluttered in her soul as she nervously placed two fingers over his jugular. A steady push against her fingers made a grin spread across her face like she hadn't experienced in what felt like years. The touch roused Angel, and he cracked his eyes open slightly.
"Buffy," he mumbled when he saw her. Her face glistened in the light, and he realised she was crying. Slowly he pushed himself into a sitting position and rubbed his eyes free of sleepy dust. Eventually he turned to her. "Buffy?" he repeated, "What are you doing here? I thought you had school today?" To his surprise, Buffy threw her arms around his neck as sobs erupted from her. Angel instinctively held her close as she cried. "Hush, love. What's wrong?" he murmured comfortingly. Buffy pulled back slowly, the biggest smile on her face.
"Nothing's wrong," she sniffled, "I've never been so happy!" Again she hugged him tight as Angel tried to work out the puzzle.
"If you're so happy why are you crying?" he asked. Buffy grabbed his hand and placed it over his heart. Beneath his fingers he could feel the steady thumping. "It's...it's real?" he breathed, "It's real!! I'm alive! Hahaha!" He leapt out of bed, pulling Buffy with him as they span round and round, before crashing into each other in a fiery kiss of happiness and lust and relief. When they calmed down, Buffy leaned back in his arms.
"You realise what this means, don't you?" she said, "No more fighting, no more darkness. You're free now Angel. You're free." He nodded slowly, leaning his forehead on hers.
"I maybe free, but I'll stay with you forever. I promise." Fresh tears poured down Buffy's cheeks, so happy was she to hear that.
"C'mon!" she cried suddenly, pulling him towards the door, "We have to go tell the others!"