TITLE: Accepting the Truth
AUTHOR: Leni
DISCLAIMER: *Leni jumps happily up and down in her room* MINE! MINE! MINE! They are MINE! *Leni stops abruptly when she sees Joss' lawyers looking *very pissed off* He-he... *sweatdrops* Just kidding? -_-;;
DISTRIBUTION: This is all yours.
TIMELINE: Some years after 'Telling the Truth'
SUMMARY: The end of the story (finally!)
AN: Thanks for being so patient with me. Be warned: there's a totally different tone in this one! (You really don't need to read *another* mushy 'Buffy-and-Angel-get-together' scene, do you?)
FEEDBACK: Make me happy and send it.
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Buffy saw the clock once more. It marked 7:15. He would come at 7:30. And this dress wasn't what she wanted either.
"I'm going to change" She told her friends.
"No. You are not." A commanding voice told her. "I swear it: if I see you in *one* more dress or skirt, or blouse, or whatever I'm going to throw you out of that window." Cordelia pointed to a rather large one at one side of the room.
"As if you could" Buffy muttered under her breath. But anyway she stood in her place and straightened her dress once again.
"Don't worry. You look wonderful. He'll have a hard time keeping his hands out of you" Willow told her reassuringly.
"Yeah. I bet he'll really have a 'hard-time'. Especially with that neckline... If he still has a taste for a young girl's pretty neck he'll be more than pleased to see you in that... and if he doesn't he'll be *very* pleased anyway. Are you sure you didn't forget any part of that dress in the store? It's way too short!" Cordy stated matter-of-factly. Her harsh tone of voice was easily belied by the huge grin on her face.
Willow blushed at the bluntness of her friend. Even after these last two years having Cordelia as a constant companion was still strange. But considering that the three women now shared an apartment it was kind of inevitable.
"Are you sure, Will?" Buffy said, trying to ignore Cordelia's comment and wishing it would be true at the same time.
"Yeah, of course, Buff. What time will he pick you up tonight?"
"He should be here in ten minutes or so. Are you sure he'll like this dress, girls? After all this is a special date, and he told me to wear something fancy and I am still not sure if this will do..." She stared at her reflection. She was surprised at the image of a young woman in her early twenties with a rather dull black dress but a goofy smile on her face. Even after all this time she still wasn't sure if that happy woman was indeed herself.
"Of course it'll do. Cordelia and I will have to help Angel picking his jaw from the floor after he's seen you."
The three of them giggled at the image Willow had just come up with. Suddenly Cordelia got more serious. "Believe me, Buffy. Wherever he'll take you tonight you'll turn all men's heads. Even I would have a hard time matching you tonight..."
Buffy knew that was as much of a compliment as she was ever going to get from Cordelia. Even after all the time with Angel in L.A and the last years with the whole gang in Sunnydale she still managed to pull her Princess-act on them. But that was it was now: an act.
After *finally* realizing L.A producers weren't prepared for her skills Cordelia had accepted to move in with them, mainly because she had no other place to go to. And even if at first Buffy and Willow had accepted her only as a favor for Angel they had come to realize that having Cordelia around wasn't a bad thing. Furthermore, it was even safer, considering Cordy's character and experience in the undead-world they still had to fight from time to time.
And *only* from time to time.
Buffy still relished the memory of her twentieth birthday. That had been some weeks after her re-re-reunion with Angel. She remembered everybody singing a totally out-of-tune 'Happy Birthday' and her mother presenting her with a cake - something she hadn't done since her seventeenth birthday - However, this time she had actually made a wish and blew the candles. Just before someone switched the lights on the whole room had started to glow. First they had freaked but instants afterwards they felt such a loving aura that all apprehension had left immediately. A womanly creature had appeared in front of them. And while she was trying to place her image in her memory - actually she still could swear she had seen that 'woman' before - Angel had actually gasped at her sight.
Buffy tried to recall the long speech the glowing creature had given her: Something about courage, patience, and rewards. She could not remember the exact words but she could still feel the pride emanating from the being. At last she had said the magic words: "Now you're free." and then to the still gaping Angel: "No, I'm not who you think I am. But I'll tell you that my sister's essence had returned home, as well as her partner's. I only hope that what I'm doing today would satisfy her wishes as much as it does satisfy mine." She paused a moment. "Warrior, you've been free since your return from Hell but you'll be even more when you finally accept yourself." With that final word she vanished in the air. Buffy hadn't understood all her words and apparently Angel wouldn't enlighten her any time soon. He simply refused to tell her where did he know her from.
Some days later Buffy had learned of a new Slayer taking her place even though she still conserved her strength and whatever powers she possessed. The Council had been appalled at the news. Three Slayers at the same time! But seeing that Buffy had been retired by the Higher Powers they had had to let her leave. Sometimes she felt bad for the girl who had taken her place and lived shortly in it. She had offered repeatedly to train the new Slayers- who seemed to come and go in mere months - but all their Watchers had refused her help... a ridiculous attempt to keep their wards from THE Slayer's bad influence... if only they were that determinate in keeping those same wards *alive*.
Buffy sighed. It has no use thinking about it now, even less tonight. It was the second anniversary of their re-re-reunion - as her friends jokingly referred to Willow's and Cordelia's successful plot- and she planned to make the best of it.
"Do you still remember that day?" She asked.
Both women knew instantly what her friend was referring to.
"Of course I remember." Cordelia said. "After that heart-to-heart with Angel I saw him so demoralized that I sent him to sleep. Can you believe it? Me, ordering a man who could be my great-great-grandfather around; and the funniest thing was that he actually obeyed me!" She smiled at the memory. After putting Angel in bed she had retrieved the recorded cassette from the office and sent it immediately to Willow. Some hours later she had received Willow's contribution to their cause- namely the cassette with hers and Buffy's chat-, which she had left on Angel's nightstand with a note attached to it. "'Listen to this and don't do anything rash afterwards. Remember: It's still sunny out there'," she quoted out loud, "that was what my note said. What about yours, Willow?"
"'Listen to this. Kill me later.'" The witch responded. Seeing Cordelia's confused gaze she continued. "I had known Buffy for years. I knew she wouldn't be happy with our plan. No matter how much it ended up helping her."
"Hey! Remember I'm still here!" Buffy interrumpted while trying to fix her hairdo for the n-th time in the last hour. "Of course I was angry then, just as grateful as I was afterwards. Try coming back home rejected by your ex and then hearing him say he's sorry less than a day later. All because your best friend's crazy plot. Wouldn't you have been even 'a bit' mad? But I gotta say that listening Angel's voice saying that he loved me and would have never left me were it not for my well-being really gave me hope. At first. At the time I was so insecure of myself that I thought Angel was confused and not thinking straight." Seeing Cordelia's disbelieving look Buffy prepared to defend herself. "Yeah, yeah. Now I know I was totally wrong. But at the time I didn't know it. I certainly wasn't with him enough time to carry a normal conversation, even less to know how he was feeling..."
"And then you heard my message." Willow interrupted.
"Well, yeah. Hearing *your* voice telling me that a tape with our earlier talk was already in its way to L.A made me fell *really* betrayed. After all it was my best friend giving my secrets away to someone I wasn't sure of anymore." Willow winced slightly and Buffy hurried to calm her friend. "That's in the past, Will. And as you just said it ended up helping me."
"Helping whom?"
The unexpected voice startled the three of them but Cordelia was the one who recovered first. "Will you continue playing Stealthy-Guy on us, Boss? One of these days you'll give one of us an stroke!" She chided the larger man playfully.
Angel smiled at his friend. "Cordelia Chase having a stroke?! Ha! Hell is freezing right now if that's true. I assure you, ladies," he said jokingly, "this woman has seen more than she deserves to and if she is still here safe and sound then I guess such a little scare like my unannounced presence will not affect her health and if I may..."
"Oh Angel, shut up!" Cordelia pleaded. Since Angel was a full human-guy he had developed a strange sense of humor and she had the feeling that he was passing more time with Xander than he should.
"As you please, my fair lady." The smile persisted on his lips. Xander was right: Cordelia was really funny when annoyed.
"E-hem."
Angel turned to see the source of the sound. He knew what he would find after he turned around... Wow. Suddenly the room turned hotter, his eyes nearly popped out of their sockets and his mouth was widely open... Correction: He hadn't had any idea of what he would find. Just in front of him was Buffy with an incredibly stunning black dress that complimented her figure. It seemed to have been made only for her and as much as he preferred her in white or pastel colors he couldn't find a fault in her appearance. She was perfect. And he was feeling the need to fill his lungs with air again. So much as for being human for many months! In Buffy's presence he could forget anything.
He heard something at his side and discovered Willow grinning at Cordelia, who was glaring him blatantly.
"I told you." Willow said.
"Yeah, we were both right. But I don't plan on helping you pick anything. He still owes me an apology." Cordelia huffed.
Angel shrugged the strange conversation off and proceeded to admire his private goddess. Beautiful. Perfect. Stunning. All were words easily connected with Buffy. When he reached her eyes he encountered a mute question in them. 'What do you think?'. However, before he could form a coherent answer Buffy threw her arms in frustration and walked decisively to her room. "I just knew it... This dress is horrible! I should have never bought it! I told you, girls, this... this thing isn't for me..."
Angel never had the time to react.
The bedroom door closed with a big slam.
Cordelia and Willow glared him with barely contained animosity.
Angel just stood there gaping. "Huh?" He managed to 'say'.
Both of them shook their head in disapproval. "Men!" Cordelia said in annoyance. "Yeah, men!" He heard sweet Willow repeat with even more contempt.
'What the hell had happened?' He had come in the room, had joked with Cordelia, had admired Buffy... and then... then Hell broke loose. 'Women!'
Cordelia's voice finally broke the silence. "What kind of boyfriend do you think you are? Even *Xander* has more tact!" That coming from Xander's Haters' Club President was a cutting insult. Angel was rendered speechless.What? Why? Where? What the Hell?!
"What are you waiting for? Christmas?!" Willow said cuttingly. She signaled to Buffy's room. "Go in there and say 'I'm sorry'"
'For what?' He wanted to ask but centuries of experience told him he would be in more problems if he did so. He left the room muttering about this happening solely to him and wondering about the possibilities of meeting three women with PMS in the same room.
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*Another realm*
Thiege frowned and glared the figure in front of her seriously.
"Do you have a good excuse for this?", she asked rather impatiently. Kids! You couldn't leave them alone for a second. She wondered briefly if she had been that restless in her younger centuries and apologized mentally to every Sister she had ever bothered.
"I just wanted to play, Thiege! A little fun won't hurt them!" H'Anre, the 'new brat', stated.
Thiege sighed. "No, it won't. But today was *very* special for them and I didn't want *anything* to bother them." She just couldn't believe Destiny's punishment after she had defied him *again* and contacted the Slayer and her friends. She had waited for her powers to be vanished for some centuries; but she should have known better. Could Destiny be 'nice' only for once? Of course not! Now she was stuck with this kid- who actually was the reincarnation of the female Oracle - for ten centuries... A millenium as baby-sitter!
"Oh, come on! What is so important? Their anniversary? They'll have many more in the future. It's already decreed. So what if there's a *little* misunderstanding today?" H'Anre said emphasizing the word 'little'. She knew how fond Thiege was of this particular couple. But she was free to do everything she wanted and now that she was the 'little one' she was being spoiled by many of the Sisters, including her tutor. "You know it's no big. They'll reconcile in less than a minute and everything will be fine again."
"Yeah, everything will be fine. But I wanted today to be perfect. Do you know what is he carrying in his jacket pocket?" At H'anre's negative she continued. "A ring. A promise ring. He was going to propose tonight." H'Anre swallowed loudly. Oops... Thiege would be really angry for the next few years. "Do you know how long I've waited to witness this day?" Another negative. "Years! Six whole years since I decided to unite them!" Seeing H'Anre's unimpressed gaze Thiege resumed her speech. "Now I know that's nothing for us. Six years are just seconds here. But they are a *really* long time if you're fearing that any night one of the Sisters could get angry and decide to kill one of the lovers at a whim."
Thiege sighed. Great. Now she'd have to rearrange everything for the 'Special Moment', as she had called Angel's proposal. She had prepared a warm night and clear sky, even a shooting star to pass in the moment the girl said 'yes'. Now her plans were ruined because of this noisy kid.
H'Anre sensed her tutor's bad humor. "I'm sorry.", she said meekly.
"You better be." Thiege responded. She closed her eyes and focused on the lovers. She smiled. The girl was kissing her boyfriend heartily. At least everything was okay. Then she saw the clock. 8:30. 'Damn! They lost their reservations. It seems we'll have to settle for another night for our plans, Angel.' She thought. At the same time she saw the ex-Vampire carrying his girlfriend towards her bed. She could even sense the girl's friends leaving quietly the apartment. A new knowledge invaded her mind. She considered the new turn of events and smiled brightly.
"H'Anre?" The kid raised her head. "Are you behind this?"
A blush answered her. "I just wanted to demonstrate how sorry I really am."
"Do you know the consequences of this?" She asked seriously.
H'Anre gulped. "Are they that bad?" Damn. Why couldn't she do anything okay?
Thiege smiled. So the kid really didn't know what she had just done. She'd have to practice more with her ward. "No, H'Anre, they are not bad. Personally I would have waited a little more for this to happen but now is as good as ever."
"What exactly have I done, Thiege?" The little one asked curiously.
"Let's just say that they'll have to postpone their wedding plans for some time... or maybe hurry them up, I'm still not sure. What do you think would be better?"
"Huh?"
"They'll be having a baby!" Thiege said excitedly. "A little girl named Shannah if her mother names her or Cassie if the proud father does, or something between Amanda and Heather if they let their friends have any say in the name-decision." She was happy. Beaming with happiness if you wanted to put it that way. At last the Prophecy Girl would be born! Who would have thought the kid would do something right. True, she had wanted to wait, but... what the hell!
"I did that?" H'Anre asked stunned at herself.
"Yes, you did. Now I know you didn't do it on purpose so I guess you'll have to learn to control your powers really soon. This kind of situations is unacceptable in most cases and frequently a baby causes more problems in the established timeframe than it is worth. So don't try to do anything like that without my help again. Understood?"
"Yes."
Thiege was too happy to hold any grudges for the kid. "Now come on, H'Anre, you created this mess. Now you'll help me repair it. Where do you think his proposal should take place? The beach? A fancy restaurant? Maybe he could take her to L.A..."
"What about her apartment? After a dinner *he* would have cooked. Only the two of them, soft music, maybe some candles... Now *that* would be romantic." H'Anre proposed catching on with her tutor's merry spirit.
"Yeah, that's not a bad idea. I like the way you think, kid. Maybe I'll let you help me with my next mission. I've heard there's a place called Section One..."
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*Sunnydale*
"Are you sure about this, Angel?" Buffy asked in the dark. They lay contentedly in her bed and Angel had her wrapped in his arms. She had just been about to sleep when he had propped the question.
"Of course I am, my love. Since the day I saw you I've wanted to stay with you forever and since I became human I've wanted to marry you. Will you accept?" Angel was rather nervous. He hadn't planned to do this nor here neither now. But it had been a wild impulse. Would he regret it?
"I do." He heard Buffy whisper. In that moment he felt the happiest man on earth. Buffy snuggled in his arms and bent over to kiss him. "Of course I accept. Was ever a doubt about it?", and the proceeded to show him why he shouldn't doubt her.
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*Another realm*
Ijyoh grinned. 'That was a good job, and quick, too.' She thought. She knew Thiege would be furious but she knew her Sister as much as she knew herself. Thiege wanted to mess up with *her* work and she couldn't let it happen. She had passed *years* trying to unite that couple. And hers was even a heavier task, at least Thiege's favorites could show their emotions in public...
That had been a good warning. After all Thiege had always wanted for them to be happily married. If she had dealt with curses and death wishes she could very well deal with an unexpected proposal. Ijyoh only hoped Thiege understood the warning: 'Don't come near Section One.'
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***Yay! This is finally done! I can't believe it! And it didn't take much time! What??! Don't look at me so! What was it? Two? Maybe three *little* months??... Ok, ok, so I was a little late with this last chapters... Blame my teachers! Well, now it's time to continue my other fic 'Alternate Reality'... I wonder what will I do with that story... Any ideas???***
*** Please, please, please, leave a review. I need to know if my late night was worth it!***
AUTHOR: Leni
DISCLAIMER: *Leni jumps happily up and down in her room* MINE! MINE! MINE! They are MINE! *Leni stops abruptly when she sees Joss' lawyers looking *very pissed off* He-he... *sweatdrops* Just kidding? -_-;;
DISTRIBUTION: This is all yours.
TIMELINE: Some years after 'Telling the Truth'
SUMMARY: The end of the story (finally!)
AN: Thanks for being so patient with me. Be warned: there's a totally different tone in this one! (You really don't need to read *another* mushy 'Buffy-and-Angel-get-together' scene, do you?)
FEEDBACK: Make me happy and send it.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Buffy saw the clock once more. It marked 7:15. He would come at 7:30. And this dress wasn't what she wanted either.
"I'm going to change" She told her friends.
"No. You are not." A commanding voice told her. "I swear it: if I see you in *one* more dress or skirt, or blouse, or whatever I'm going to throw you out of that window." Cordelia pointed to a rather large one at one side of the room.
"As if you could" Buffy muttered under her breath. But anyway she stood in her place and straightened her dress once again.
"Don't worry. You look wonderful. He'll have a hard time keeping his hands out of you" Willow told her reassuringly.
"Yeah. I bet he'll really have a 'hard-time'. Especially with that neckline... If he still has a taste for a young girl's pretty neck he'll be more than pleased to see you in that... and if he doesn't he'll be *very* pleased anyway. Are you sure you didn't forget any part of that dress in the store? It's way too short!" Cordy stated matter-of-factly. Her harsh tone of voice was easily belied by the huge grin on her face.
Willow blushed at the bluntness of her friend. Even after these last two years having Cordelia as a constant companion was still strange. But considering that the three women now shared an apartment it was kind of inevitable.
"Are you sure, Will?" Buffy said, trying to ignore Cordelia's comment and wishing it would be true at the same time.
"Yeah, of course, Buff. What time will he pick you up tonight?"
"He should be here in ten minutes or so. Are you sure he'll like this dress, girls? After all this is a special date, and he told me to wear something fancy and I am still not sure if this will do..." She stared at her reflection. She was surprised at the image of a young woman in her early twenties with a rather dull black dress but a goofy smile on her face. Even after all this time she still wasn't sure if that happy woman was indeed herself.
"Of course it'll do. Cordelia and I will have to help Angel picking his jaw from the floor after he's seen you."
The three of them giggled at the image Willow had just come up with. Suddenly Cordelia got more serious. "Believe me, Buffy. Wherever he'll take you tonight you'll turn all men's heads. Even I would have a hard time matching you tonight..."
Buffy knew that was as much of a compliment as she was ever going to get from Cordelia. Even after all the time with Angel in L.A and the last years with the whole gang in Sunnydale she still managed to pull her Princess-act on them. But that was it was now: an act.
After *finally* realizing L.A producers weren't prepared for her skills Cordelia had accepted to move in with them, mainly because she had no other place to go to. And even if at first Buffy and Willow had accepted her only as a favor for Angel they had come to realize that having Cordelia around wasn't a bad thing. Furthermore, it was even safer, considering Cordy's character and experience in the undead-world they still had to fight from time to time.
And *only* from time to time.
Buffy still relished the memory of her twentieth birthday. That had been some weeks after her re-re-reunion with Angel. She remembered everybody singing a totally out-of-tune 'Happy Birthday' and her mother presenting her with a cake - something she hadn't done since her seventeenth birthday - However, this time she had actually made a wish and blew the candles. Just before someone switched the lights on the whole room had started to glow. First they had freaked but instants afterwards they felt such a loving aura that all apprehension had left immediately. A womanly creature had appeared in front of them. And while she was trying to place her image in her memory - actually she still could swear she had seen that 'woman' before - Angel had actually gasped at her sight.
Buffy tried to recall the long speech the glowing creature had given her: Something about courage, patience, and rewards. She could not remember the exact words but she could still feel the pride emanating from the being. At last she had said the magic words: "Now you're free." and then to the still gaping Angel: "No, I'm not who you think I am. But I'll tell you that my sister's essence had returned home, as well as her partner's. I only hope that what I'm doing today would satisfy her wishes as much as it does satisfy mine." She paused a moment. "Warrior, you've been free since your return from Hell but you'll be even more when you finally accept yourself." With that final word she vanished in the air. Buffy hadn't understood all her words and apparently Angel wouldn't enlighten her any time soon. He simply refused to tell her where did he know her from.
Some days later Buffy had learned of a new Slayer taking her place even though she still conserved her strength and whatever powers she possessed. The Council had been appalled at the news. Three Slayers at the same time! But seeing that Buffy had been retired by the Higher Powers they had had to let her leave. Sometimes she felt bad for the girl who had taken her place and lived shortly in it. She had offered repeatedly to train the new Slayers- who seemed to come and go in mere months - but all their Watchers had refused her help... a ridiculous attempt to keep their wards from THE Slayer's bad influence... if only they were that determinate in keeping those same wards *alive*.
Buffy sighed. It has no use thinking about it now, even less tonight. It was the second anniversary of their re-re-reunion - as her friends jokingly referred to Willow's and Cordelia's successful plot- and she planned to make the best of it.
"Do you still remember that day?" She asked.
Both women knew instantly what her friend was referring to.
"Of course I remember." Cordelia said. "After that heart-to-heart with Angel I saw him so demoralized that I sent him to sleep. Can you believe it? Me, ordering a man who could be my great-great-grandfather around; and the funniest thing was that he actually obeyed me!" She smiled at the memory. After putting Angel in bed she had retrieved the recorded cassette from the office and sent it immediately to Willow. Some hours later she had received Willow's contribution to their cause- namely the cassette with hers and Buffy's chat-, which she had left on Angel's nightstand with a note attached to it. "'Listen to this and don't do anything rash afterwards. Remember: It's still sunny out there'," she quoted out loud, "that was what my note said. What about yours, Willow?"
"'Listen to this. Kill me later.'" The witch responded. Seeing Cordelia's confused gaze she continued. "I had known Buffy for years. I knew she wouldn't be happy with our plan. No matter how much it ended up helping her."
"Hey! Remember I'm still here!" Buffy interrumpted while trying to fix her hairdo for the n-th time in the last hour. "Of course I was angry then, just as grateful as I was afterwards. Try coming back home rejected by your ex and then hearing him say he's sorry less than a day later. All because your best friend's crazy plot. Wouldn't you have been even 'a bit' mad? But I gotta say that listening Angel's voice saying that he loved me and would have never left me were it not for my well-being really gave me hope. At first. At the time I was so insecure of myself that I thought Angel was confused and not thinking straight." Seeing Cordelia's disbelieving look Buffy prepared to defend herself. "Yeah, yeah. Now I know I was totally wrong. But at the time I didn't know it. I certainly wasn't with him enough time to carry a normal conversation, even less to know how he was feeling..."
"And then you heard my message." Willow interrupted.
"Well, yeah. Hearing *your* voice telling me that a tape with our earlier talk was already in its way to L.A made me fell *really* betrayed. After all it was my best friend giving my secrets away to someone I wasn't sure of anymore." Willow winced slightly and Buffy hurried to calm her friend. "That's in the past, Will. And as you just said it ended up helping me."
"Helping whom?"
The unexpected voice startled the three of them but Cordelia was the one who recovered first. "Will you continue playing Stealthy-Guy on us, Boss? One of these days you'll give one of us an stroke!" She chided the larger man playfully.
Angel smiled at his friend. "Cordelia Chase having a stroke?! Ha! Hell is freezing right now if that's true. I assure you, ladies," he said jokingly, "this woman has seen more than she deserves to and if she is still here safe and sound then I guess such a little scare like my unannounced presence will not affect her health and if I may..."
"Oh Angel, shut up!" Cordelia pleaded. Since Angel was a full human-guy he had developed a strange sense of humor and she had the feeling that he was passing more time with Xander than he should.
"As you please, my fair lady." The smile persisted on his lips. Xander was right: Cordelia was really funny when annoyed.
"E-hem."
Angel turned to see the source of the sound. He knew what he would find after he turned around... Wow. Suddenly the room turned hotter, his eyes nearly popped out of their sockets and his mouth was widely open... Correction: He hadn't had any idea of what he would find. Just in front of him was Buffy with an incredibly stunning black dress that complimented her figure. It seemed to have been made only for her and as much as he preferred her in white or pastel colors he couldn't find a fault in her appearance. She was perfect. And he was feeling the need to fill his lungs with air again. So much as for being human for many months! In Buffy's presence he could forget anything.
He heard something at his side and discovered Willow grinning at Cordelia, who was glaring him blatantly.
"I told you." Willow said.
"Yeah, we were both right. But I don't plan on helping you pick anything. He still owes me an apology." Cordelia huffed.
Angel shrugged the strange conversation off and proceeded to admire his private goddess. Beautiful. Perfect. Stunning. All were words easily connected with Buffy. When he reached her eyes he encountered a mute question in them. 'What do you think?'. However, before he could form a coherent answer Buffy threw her arms in frustration and walked decisively to her room. "I just knew it... This dress is horrible! I should have never bought it! I told you, girls, this... this thing isn't for me..."
Angel never had the time to react.
The bedroom door closed with a big slam.
Cordelia and Willow glared him with barely contained animosity.
Angel just stood there gaping. "Huh?" He managed to 'say'.
Both of them shook their head in disapproval. "Men!" Cordelia said in annoyance. "Yeah, men!" He heard sweet Willow repeat with even more contempt.
'What the hell had happened?' He had come in the room, had joked with Cordelia, had admired Buffy... and then... then Hell broke loose. 'Women!'
Cordelia's voice finally broke the silence. "What kind of boyfriend do you think you are? Even *Xander* has more tact!" That coming from Xander's Haters' Club President was a cutting insult. Angel was rendered speechless.What? Why? Where? What the Hell?!
"What are you waiting for? Christmas?!" Willow said cuttingly. She signaled to Buffy's room. "Go in there and say 'I'm sorry'"
'For what?' He wanted to ask but centuries of experience told him he would be in more problems if he did so. He left the room muttering about this happening solely to him and wondering about the possibilities of meeting three women with PMS in the same room.
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*Another realm*
Thiege frowned and glared the figure in front of her seriously.
"Do you have a good excuse for this?", she asked rather impatiently. Kids! You couldn't leave them alone for a second. She wondered briefly if she had been that restless in her younger centuries and apologized mentally to every Sister she had ever bothered.
"I just wanted to play, Thiege! A little fun won't hurt them!" H'Anre, the 'new brat', stated.
Thiege sighed. "No, it won't. But today was *very* special for them and I didn't want *anything* to bother them." She just couldn't believe Destiny's punishment after she had defied him *again* and contacted the Slayer and her friends. She had waited for her powers to be vanished for some centuries; but she should have known better. Could Destiny be 'nice' only for once? Of course not! Now she was stuck with this kid- who actually was the reincarnation of the female Oracle - for ten centuries... A millenium as baby-sitter!
"Oh, come on! What is so important? Their anniversary? They'll have many more in the future. It's already decreed. So what if there's a *little* misunderstanding today?" H'Anre said emphasizing the word 'little'. She knew how fond Thiege was of this particular couple. But she was free to do everything she wanted and now that she was the 'little one' she was being spoiled by many of the Sisters, including her tutor. "You know it's no big. They'll reconcile in less than a minute and everything will be fine again."
"Yeah, everything will be fine. But I wanted today to be perfect. Do you know what is he carrying in his jacket pocket?" At H'anre's negative she continued. "A ring. A promise ring. He was going to propose tonight." H'Anre swallowed loudly. Oops... Thiege would be really angry for the next few years. "Do you know how long I've waited to witness this day?" Another negative. "Years! Six whole years since I decided to unite them!" Seeing H'Anre's unimpressed gaze Thiege resumed her speech. "Now I know that's nothing for us. Six years are just seconds here. But they are a *really* long time if you're fearing that any night one of the Sisters could get angry and decide to kill one of the lovers at a whim."
Thiege sighed. Great. Now she'd have to rearrange everything for the 'Special Moment', as she had called Angel's proposal. She had prepared a warm night and clear sky, even a shooting star to pass in the moment the girl said 'yes'. Now her plans were ruined because of this noisy kid.
H'Anre sensed her tutor's bad humor. "I'm sorry.", she said meekly.
"You better be." Thiege responded. She closed her eyes and focused on the lovers. She smiled. The girl was kissing her boyfriend heartily. At least everything was okay. Then she saw the clock. 8:30. 'Damn! They lost their reservations. It seems we'll have to settle for another night for our plans, Angel.' She thought. At the same time she saw the ex-Vampire carrying his girlfriend towards her bed. She could even sense the girl's friends leaving quietly the apartment. A new knowledge invaded her mind. She considered the new turn of events and smiled brightly.
"H'Anre?" The kid raised her head. "Are you behind this?"
A blush answered her. "I just wanted to demonstrate how sorry I really am."
"Do you know the consequences of this?" She asked seriously.
H'Anre gulped. "Are they that bad?" Damn. Why couldn't she do anything okay?
Thiege smiled. So the kid really didn't know what she had just done. She'd have to practice more with her ward. "No, H'Anre, they are not bad. Personally I would have waited a little more for this to happen but now is as good as ever."
"What exactly have I done, Thiege?" The little one asked curiously.
"Let's just say that they'll have to postpone their wedding plans for some time... or maybe hurry them up, I'm still not sure. What do you think would be better?"
"Huh?"
"They'll be having a baby!" Thiege said excitedly. "A little girl named Shannah if her mother names her or Cassie if the proud father does, or something between Amanda and Heather if they let their friends have any say in the name-decision." She was happy. Beaming with happiness if you wanted to put it that way. At last the Prophecy Girl would be born! Who would have thought the kid would do something right. True, she had wanted to wait, but... what the hell!
"I did that?" H'Anre asked stunned at herself.
"Yes, you did. Now I know you didn't do it on purpose so I guess you'll have to learn to control your powers really soon. This kind of situations is unacceptable in most cases and frequently a baby causes more problems in the established timeframe than it is worth. So don't try to do anything like that without my help again. Understood?"
"Yes."
Thiege was too happy to hold any grudges for the kid. "Now come on, H'Anre, you created this mess. Now you'll help me repair it. Where do you think his proposal should take place? The beach? A fancy restaurant? Maybe he could take her to L.A..."
"What about her apartment? After a dinner *he* would have cooked. Only the two of them, soft music, maybe some candles... Now *that* would be romantic." H'Anre proposed catching on with her tutor's merry spirit.
"Yeah, that's not a bad idea. I like the way you think, kid. Maybe I'll let you help me with my next mission. I've heard there's a place called Section One..."
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*Sunnydale*
"Are you sure about this, Angel?" Buffy asked in the dark. They lay contentedly in her bed and Angel had her wrapped in his arms. She had just been about to sleep when he had propped the question.
"Of course I am, my love. Since the day I saw you I've wanted to stay with you forever and since I became human I've wanted to marry you. Will you accept?" Angel was rather nervous. He hadn't planned to do this nor here neither now. But it had been a wild impulse. Would he regret it?
"I do." He heard Buffy whisper. In that moment he felt the happiest man on earth. Buffy snuggled in his arms and bent over to kiss him. "Of course I accept. Was ever a doubt about it?", and the proceeded to show him why he shouldn't doubt her.
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*Another realm*
Ijyoh grinned. 'That was a good job, and quick, too.' She thought. She knew Thiege would be furious but she knew her Sister as much as she knew herself. Thiege wanted to mess up with *her* work and she couldn't let it happen. She had passed *years* trying to unite that couple. And hers was even a heavier task, at least Thiege's favorites could show their emotions in public...
That had been a good warning. After all Thiege had always wanted for them to be happily married. If she had dealt with curses and death wishes she could very well deal with an unexpected proposal. Ijyoh only hoped Thiege understood the warning: 'Don't come near Section One.'
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***Yay! This is finally done! I can't believe it! And it didn't take much time! What??! Don't look at me so! What was it? Two? Maybe three *little* months??... Ok, ok, so I was a little late with this last chapters... Blame my teachers! Well, now it's time to continue my other fic 'Alternate Reality'... I wonder what will I do with that story... Any ideas???***
*** Please, please, please, leave a review. I need to know if my late night was worth it!***