*~* The Courage Love Takes *~*

Part 3

@~~~~

By: ScarletDeva

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Xander surges up, his face tingeing pink with fury, "Why is he here?" His tone clearly
conveys contempt for the dark man standing behind the Slayer.

"Xander…" Willow calls softly, rising from the couch and laying a hand on his arm,
"calm down."

"I will not calm down," he stalks forward, coming an inch away from Buffy and almost
breathing malice, "Why is he here?"

Giles finally snaps out of his stupor and steps back to allow Buffy and her escorts
in.

Buffy's eyes fill with determination and she squeezes Angel's hand. She takes a step
forward, forcing Xander to back up, "Sit down." Her command is so unexpected that he
follows it involuntarily. He sinks into the cushion next to Anya who looks simply
bored.

Buffy pulls Angel to an armchair and forces him into it, then settles on his lap,
"Everyone sit."

Giles shakes his head and pulls off his glasses, wiping them absently, "Yes… ahem…
Cordelia have a seat over there with your… ah friend." He gestures to a set of chairs
next to the armchair.

Willow looks at Buffy sympathetically and curls back into her seat, fully prepared to
defend her if it becomes necessary. She picks up a napkin from the small coffee table
and starts to twist it between her fingers.

Cordelia and Doyle gingerly walk to the chair, exchanging similar looks full of fear.

Buffy catches Cordelia's eyes and smiles reassuringly. She faces the gang and her
smile disappears. "This is Doyle, by the way. Angel's Seer."

Willow perks up, "What's a Seer?"

Doyle flashes her a smile, at which Cordelia frowns, "I get visions from the Powers
That Be that tell Angel who he has to save. Painful buggers, they are."

Xander glares at him and turns to Buffy, "Never mind the visions. You didn't answer my
question."

Anya leans on him, and takes his hand. "Yeah, hurry up and resolve your petty problems.
Xander and I must leave to have sex. He promised."

Angel raises his eyebrows at her statement and meets Cordelia's eyes, who bursts into
hysterical laughter.

Willow smiles gently, used to Anya's inappropriate outbursts, and shifts in her seat.
"Buffy, you should probably just tell them… the tale."

Xander eyes her suspiciously but quickly looks back at Buffy. Giles decides he really
wants to be sitting for whatever is coming and lowers himself into a chair next to
Willow.

Buffy shrugs, "Whatever. Here's what's what. I wasn't happy so I went to LA and I got
Angel back. We're together. End of story." Angel wraps his arms around her waist and
squeezes lightly. She smiles at him, the joy in her face apparent to everyone but
those who really don't want to see it.

Anya yawns.

"Am I the only one who has an issue with that?" Xander jumps up and begins to pace, his
shoes scuffing the carpet.

"Yes," Cordelia replies, absently looking at her nails, knowingly going after his sore
spot.

He spins around, "Be quiet, you obnoxious snob."

Buffy leaps out of her seat and catches Xander by his lapel, "Listen to me. If anyone
here is an obnoxious snob, it's you." Her face twists with spite, "You are also a brat
and we have put up with enough of your bullshit over the years."

"I… I…" he stutters, stunned that the girl who has never really stood up to him, would
suddenly treat him like this.

"Hey put down my Xander, "Anya exclaims, suddenly interested in the proceedings, "I
still have a use for his body."

Buffy turns around for a second and her eyes promise hellish retribution if the ex-demon
utters another peep. She then lifts Xander up, clutching his collar, "You just can't
stand it if I'm happy, can you? You can't stand it if I don't fit some sort of mold that
you made for me in some deranged corner of your mind." Her eyes narrow and her tone
turns mocking, "Buffy must be normal. Buffy must date normal boys. Buffy can't date the
man she loves because it would shatter Xander's world. And that makes it ok to do
anything that would ensure Buffy's 'correct' behavior."

She tosses him down and stands over him breathing in deeply, "It even makes it ok to
tell Buffy to kill the man she loves when Willow is about to save him." His face pales
and his mouth goes slack, falling open.

"Oh yeah, I know," she smirks, "It just didn't matter when I had him back and later,
when I didn't, well… it was overwhelmed by my misery. But don't you stand there and
lecture me when you're the one who told me to 'kick his ass'!" The last part of that is
almost a shout and Buffy bursts into tears, sobbing with all the pain that missing Angel
caused her.

Angel lunges for her, tucking her into his arms and his eyes glow golden as he looks
down on the shaking boy.

For a few minutes, everyone keeps quiet, Buffy's sobs the only sound being made. Angel
rubs her back, murmuring something into her hair, "Hush, muirnin, everything is fine.
I'm here, I'm here."

She sniffles into his shoulder, "Never leave me?"

He drops kisses into her scented hair, "Never." She quiets, still shaking and he leads
her back to the armchair, placing her in his lap and cradling her like she is the most
precious creature he's ever seen.

Willow's romantic soul melts at the sight and tears fill her eyes. She looks around and
sees Cordelia's face, the expression on which strangely mirrors her own. She smiles a
bit and turns her attention back on Buffy.

The small blonde composes herself, wiping her face on Angel's black shirt, much to
Doyle's amusement, and she looks up. Ignoring Xander, she carefully gauges the
expressions on everyone's faces and finally stops on Giles'. Buffy smiles weakly at
him, questioning him with her glance.

He clears his throat and pulls out a tiny cloth to clean his glasses. As he
rhythmically rubs the lens, he sighs. "Ah… as much as I value your happiness, Buffy…
there is ah… still the matter of the clause."

Buffy's face drops sadly and she burrows back into Angel's comforting embrace.

"Actually…" a cheery voice breaks into the heavy, tension-laden silence, "that is
solvable."

Buffy's face lights up and she leans forward, taking in Willow's amused smile. Angel's
appearance doesn't change, but his eyes seem to burn with a hope he thought he lost a
long time ago.

Xander pulls himself up a little to lean on the couch, not yet having recovered from his
encounter with the Slayer, and glares at his childhood friend.

Giles looks interested, his Watcher side eager for any new information.

Willow settles back comfortably and grins, happy with herself, "Well, let me put it this
way… We're going to Romania."

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Author's Note: Yes, I have left this with an evil cliffhanger. Oh the horror! Anyway, it
gets more interesting... so read and review if you want more!
Love,
ScarletDeva

P.S. muirnin – sweetheart (Gaelic)