Angel
helped Buffy carry boxes from her car to their room and the kid's room and then
they began unpacking. They started in
Jenny's room.
"Where do
you want me to put these?" Angel asked holding up some stuff animals.
"On the
bed," Buffy answered. Angel was putting
the stuffed animal on the bed when he heard Buffy blurt out, "What are we doing
Angel?"
"We're
unpacking your daughter's things," Angel said simply but he knew that's not
what Buffy meant.
"No, I mean
with us," Buffy said, "I mean last night I get a phone call from my ex who I
haven't seen in over ten years, he tells me that he's human and that he has the
daughter I though I had lost. And today
we're moving me and my kids into your house. Don't you think we're moving just a little bit to fast?"
"Buffy
we're soul mates, we always have been. I know in all the years we've been apart I've never stopped loving you,
I may have given up hope that I may ever see you again but I never, not for one
second, stopped loving you. And I know
you never stopped loving me. My being a
vampire, a stubborn vampire, was all that was keeping us apart. Now that is gone so we can be together like
we always wanted. I know what your thinking,
you're worried about how the kids will take it."
"I am
Angel," Buffy agreed, "I know Lizzie will probably be fine because for her this
is a dream come true, but Jenny and Davey. I dragged them away from their friends, their grandmother and most of
their honorary aunts and uncles. I'm
just not sure how well they're going to take it once it really sinks in that
this is permanent."
"Listen to
me Buffy," Angel put a comforting hand on her shoulder, "if there is one great
thing about kids is they adapt quickly. Sure they'll be sad for a while but they'll make new friends and your
Mom and Giles and the gang can come visit and we can go visit Sunnydale and
they still have Willow and Tara here."
"I guess
your right, I just don't want to see them hurt," Buffy said with a sigh.
"I know,"
Angel said pulling her into a hug, "and they will hurt a while emotionally but
they'll get over it and we can keep them from getting hurt physically."
"Yeah,"
Buffy said, "we will have to protect them, I mean vamps have already grabbed
Jenny once at an attempt to get at me."
"What if we
started teaching Jenny how to defend herself," Angel suggested, "I know she
won't be able to beat up something that grabs her but she may be able to hurt
it enough to run or at least delay it until we can get there."
"Yeah, I
think we should," Buffy replied, "ever since she got nabbed she's been begging
me to teach her how to beat up the bad guys."
"Ok we can
start her with the others this afternoon. Buffy," Angel said gently as he turned her toward him, "does she have
the mark? I mean Lizzie has it so I
thought it might run in your blood line."
Buffy
slowly shook her head no.
"Thank God
for that," Angel said, relief in his voice.
Buffy
nodded and they silently returned to their work.
A while
later when both Jenny's and Davey's room were done they were unpacking Buffy's
things into Angel's room.
"You really
have to do something about this décor," Buffy was saying, "it is was to dark
and depressing."
"That's
what Lizzie says," Angel smiled, "I always tell her that with out you in my
life a little part of my heart is always dark and that's why I keep my room
this way."
"Well I'm
here now and I say it needs to be brightened up," Buffy said. She reached up and drew open the drapes. As
she did the sunlight shone on her claddagh and Angel caught a glimpse of the
glint out of the corner of his eye.
'She
deserves to know the truth,' Angel thought to himself, 'I have to tell her that
we're married.'
"Buffy," he
called to her.
"Yeah?" she
replied absently, her head stuck in the closet.
"I need to
tell you something, something important," He gently took her arm and pulled her
out of the closet and sat her on the bed. "The night of your seventeenth birthday there's something I meant to
tell you but I didn't get the chance with the judge and all."
Buffy could
hear, see and feel that Angel was tense, "what is it Angel? Just tell me."
"Well you
see, it's like this. I was going to
give you that ring at a nice romantic dinner and tell you it's true meaning but
then the judge came up. So when I was
force to give it to you on the docks I didn't tell you the whole story because,
well, I just didn't feel like it was the right setting."
"What whole
story Angel?" Buffy was getting impatient, "spit it out."
"The claddagh,
it's a traditional Irish wedding band. It's not legal here in the states but it is in Ireland." Angel
explained, bracing for the reaction he know was coming.
"WHAT!!!!"
Buffy screamed, "we're married and you never told me? That mean that my marriage to Chris wasn't legal and my kids are
illegitimate!"
"No Buffy,
no it doesn't," Angel tried to calm his beloved down, "since our marriage isn't
legal in the states and the Irish government weren't aware of it your kids are
not illegitimate but neither is Lizzie. I didn't get a chance to tell you that night, then Angelus wanted to
tell you but I held him back because I knew it would kill you if it came from
him. When I came back I didn't feel
worthy of your love and I knew it would be unfair to you to know that we were
married when we truly couldn't be together. I was going to tell you when I turned human but since Giles never told
you I never got the chance."
"Ok, I
guess I understand but I'm still pretty frustrated," Buffy said, "I really need
to hit something, or someone."
"How 'bout
we head downstairs and train to work out that tension and frustration?" Angel
asked.
Buffy
nodded and they quickly changed into their work out clothes.
