She'd gotten to the hotel at dusk, arriving just as the sun eeked out the
last few minutes of daylight before disappearing over the horizon. She stood
on the balcony outside of her room, watching it sink, breathing in the rapidly
cooling air. Hugging herself, she shivered a bit, thinking of everything at once.
She started as she felt strong arms enfold her from behind. She tensed only a
moment before relaxing. Breathing in his scent, so familiar and foreign all at
once.
And the ache, that had lain just below the surface for so long now, blossomed
up in her chest and out her mouth. Her sobs were weak at first,before becoming full
blown cries that shook her whole body. Turning to face him, she buried her face
in his dark shirt and wrapping her own arms around him, let him hold her in return.
He held her until the raw noise muted to weak mews, and then sweeping her up into
his arms, took her back into the room. He sat on the edge of the bed, holding her
in his lap as she hiccuped. He smiled and offered her a handkerchief from his coat
pocket.
She took it with a watery smile of her own.

"Thank you." she said, scrubbing at her face with the handkerchief. Blowing into
it forcefully, she moved to return it to him, but noting the look of abject horror
on his face,guiltily put it in her own pocket.
"I'll just keep this." she sniffled.

He smiled, and chuckling kissed her forehead. Then reaching up, he took her face
in his two hands, just looking at her. As if he was memorizing every detail. Or
seeking some change in her.She merely looked back. Meeting his gaze, answering his
questions silently. And so it was without words that their lips met, questing
for what they didn't have words for.

" You were gone. " he finally broke out, the catch in his voice jagged. " I.."

"Shhh..." she said, taking the role of the comforter, startled at the tears that
were coursing down his face. " Angel..."

" No, Buffy, I need to tell you this." he said fiercely, holding her close again.
" I thought I had a handle on this. Staying away from you, was the best for both of
us. I had learned to deal with the day to day, gotten to the point where you were not
on my mind constantly. But when Willow called and said you were dead...all I could think
about was what I was missing. I had missed seeing you, holding you. I should have been
there. And then it was too late..and you were gone. And I couldn't tell you that I loved
you. I didn't get to tell you goodbye." he ended on a sob himself.

"Oh, Angel..I..." she said, tears springing anew in her eyes.
" I know that you love me."
Stroking his face, she looked up to kiss him again.
" I knew then, and I know now."

Amd it was her turn as comforter, holding the 200 year old vampire as he shed tears of his own.

Later, when the room was closed to the mid afternoon light, they lay holding one another. Each
had fallen asleep in turns,starting awake to reach for the other. They had talked, and cried
and laughed until the sun had risen again.
Now at last Buffy lay sleeping deeply and he watched over her.Memorizing every moment, as it would
have to last him. There was no way they could stay together. Somehow it was enough that she had
agreed to meet him here, and they had this time. He felt reborn somehow, and he could feel that this
had helped Buffy as well. He was sure this was the first real sleep she'd had since her resurrection.
It made his heart soar to think that she could only do it here with him.
Kissing her lips gently, he lay back down beside her and gathered her close content to hold her until
she awoke and they had to go their seperate ways once more.