I know, I know ... I'm writing several stories right now, but this one's lying in my folder for far too long. I had a lot of requests to finish it. So here it is ... finally ... done. The parts are with my beta right now ... so they should

come pretty fast, because she is fast! My humblest thanks to her and to all of you who inquired about the story. Hope you will be pleased.

FIC: Will You Still Love Me? (1/10)
Author: Jill
Disclaimer: duuuuh! Of course I don't own them, so don't sue. The title of the story is a song by "Chicago", so it isn't mine too.
Spoilers: The whole B/A-Canon to be sure. This is the third story in a special B/A-clause-free-universe. To understand what's going on I highly recommend you read "One Moment Changes Everything" and "Something To Believe In" first. You can find both stories at my site: http://www.never-ending-love.de (Go to the series page. The whole series is called "Everchanging Tide").
Summary: This is the sequel to the stories mentioned above. Buffy and Angel are still happily living together at the mansion. Oz hasn't left. But - as you know me - their happiness isn't eternal. Serious enemies are on their way to test the couple's love.
Timeline: Set at the beginning of Seasons 5/2, which of course never happened the way they did on the show in this universe. I just want to give you an idea about the time. So Buffy and her friends are at the beginning of their second year in college.
Distribution: want it, take it, but tell me where it goes.
Rating: Mostly like the show, angst, fluff, mush ... so the whole thing
Feedback: duuuh! Of course!
Dedication: This goes to Philip who reminded me more than once that this still wasn't finished. Thanks!

Note: This story certainly deserves a note. I started writing this third part of the "Everchanging Tide" series (thanks to Sara-Lee for the title) over a year ago. I tried to finish it time and again and it never happened. But finally I have decided to finish it now! Thanks to Tracy for her beta-help.

During this story I ran into more than just one writer's block and my imagination simply went out of the window. I am so sorry it took me so long, but I hope you will be pleased with the final product. If there will be a fourth part in the series is in the stars. From this point, I'd say no, but who knows. Never say never, but from today's point, I'd say there won't be another one. So for now, the series is done.




"God, this is heaven," Buffy yawned and stretched on the king sized bed in her's and Angel's bedroom. Lazy Sunday mornings were the best of the best. There was no clock waiting for her to get up, no classes waiting to be attended. And the daytime hours prevented evil creatures with pointy teeth to come for a visit.

"Mmph," came the unintelligible reply when her foot collided with a much cooler body at her side.

Well maybe not all creatures with pointy teeth.

She giggled and rolled over to look at her vampire boyfriend. He lay outstretched on his stomach, his naked body only covered by the thin sheet up to his waist, his hair tousled because of her hands raking through it during the night. His eyes were firmly closed as he tried his best to stay asleep. "Angel," she whispered and blew into his ear.

"Mmph," he said again and turned his head away, refusing to open his eyes.

Vampires and mornings … Fortunately she knew exactly how to get him alert and attentive.

Grinning widely she reached out to run a seductive hand along his spine. "Come on," she said a little bit louder. "You can't be that tired."

Groaning, he turned towards her and blinked. "It's early."

"It's almost noon," she replied with a grin.

"Like I said," he yawned and for the first time looked at her properly, "it's early. I'm a vampire in case you've forgotten. We sleep during the day. What's the matter with you today? You're usually the sleeping type on Sundays."

"I don't know," she shrugged. "I feel so ... so ... so great."

"Great," he echoed, running a hand through his hair. What the hell was the matter with her? She never got up early on Sundays. Never. So why did this have to happen today? Especially after a long night of heavy Slaying and all the bedtime activities that had followed. "Well, I don't, I'm tired. Sunlight makes me sleepy," he grumbled.

"It's dark in here," she reminded him. The room wasn't sunny at all. The heavy drapes protected the vampire from the deadly rays. "Why are you so grumpy today? Don't spoil my good mood."

"Buffy," he groaned again. "Don't you have any people to meet, or places to go?" Then he suddenly realized that she wasn't wearing anything, her tantalizing breasts almost sticking into his face. He truly must be tired not to have noticed this in the first place, he thought. A wicked grin spread across his face, "But then," with lightning speed his arm shot out and he pulled her to him, making her shriek, "maybe we can find a way to burn your excess energy."

"Angel," she began to shriek but soon it turned into a soft moan. "Oh Angel," she breathed.

*****

"Did you hear that?" Spike turned in his bed and looked at his girlfriend who was only inches away. More than once over the past few months he had found himself stunned at the fact that Faith was his girlfriend. Not that an ensouled vampire together with a Slayer was anything new, but only a few years ago he'd have done anything to kill her. And would have enjoyed it.

The difference a soul could make.

She grinned in response, "Yeah, the usual." She looked definitely goddess-like with her hair falling over her shoulders gleaming in the lamp-light in their room, her upper body bare and generous. Not for the first time Spike wanted to pinch himself to be sure this wasn't some dream.

He felt himself harden instantly at the sight. "Do you feel up to it again?" he wiggled his eyebrows.

Faith licked her lips, "You know, I couldn't understand B. at first, but I have to say that vampire stamina is something to be admired. Especially for a slayer," she sighed, when she felt his mouth move up her legs. "Oh Spike," she moaned.

*****

"Do you really think it's the right time to disturb them? I mean it's Sunday after all." Oz gave his girlfriend a doubtful look when they came to a stop in front of the mansion.

"Well," she gazed at him, "We were supposed to meet at ten at my house and she never showed up. Now it's almost one o'clock and I'm only a concerned friend looking out for her."

"Maybe he's just giving her an orgasm," Anya said with a bored voice from Xander's side. When everyone turned to stare at her, she sighed dramatically, "What? That's what people do on Sunday mornings. Which reminds me," she looked at her watch, "it has been more than five hours since you gave me the last."

"Anya, honey, didn't we talk about this? No mentioning of our private life in public," Xander said, embarrassed red spots marking his cheekbones. As much as he loved his girlfriend, her sometimes tactless attitude was something he could go without. They'd been together for over a year now and still he wasn't completely used to her.


Cordelia exchanged a grin with the redhead, "He certainly knows how to pick them," she commented. "But I have to go with Anya in this case. We better knock first. I don't want to become emotionally disturbed."

Sighing, Willow nodded, but when nothing happened she cautiously opened the door and entered the hall. The mansion had changed a lot since the two slayers and vampires had moved in permanently. At the end of their first year of college, Angel had bought the house. Neither he nor Buffy ever evaluated the background of the purchase, but now Buffy was the owner of the Mansion at Crawford Street because Angel couldn't appear in any official document. He was dead, at least officially. Of course, he was also very much alive.

Buffy and Faith had added some furniture to the hall. There were two fluffy sofas in one corner, the girls loved to use for some of their night-long sessions. Two huge Persian carpets gave the room a much more homely atmosphere. And last but not least the generously distributed electric lights took away the gloom that had always been hanging over the place. All in all it was a lot more human these days, and the Scoobies liked to visit … and to stay.

"Phew," Cordelia said when she entered after Willow and Oz, "I'm glad we're not really interrupting something."

"And what, if I may ask, did you think you would interrupt?" came a female voice from the stairs.

"Faith," Willow looked at the brunette slayer who was dressed in denims and a tank top. "I was looking for Buffy," she said, still a bit uncomfortable around the former rogue-slayer. Not that Faith gave her a reason to feel that way, but the redhead had a hard time forgetting the brunette's former behavior, and the fact that Faith had once tried to kill Xander would be a sore spot between them for all times. Willow could be a very forgiving person, but when it came to her friends her memory resembled that of an elephant.

"Busy," was Faith's bored reply. When she saw the puzzled looks on the faces, she grinned and descended the stairs, "Sunday-morning-Buffy-Angel-busy," she said dryly. "If you understand." She gave the visitors a pointed look.

The witch blushed while Xander began to cough, "Oh, I see. Well," Willow was struggling to get the words out. This was ridiculous, she thought. She was almost twenty and still blushing if someone mentioned sex. Not that she didn't have it regularly. On the contrary. She and Oz ... Cursing herself inwardly she said, "Buffy was to meet us at my house at ten, but she never came." Really Rosenberg, she thought, that was a great sentence.

"I see," Faith replied with a shrug. "Vampire boyfriends you know," she said grinning.

"See, I told you," Anya elbowed her boyfriend in the ribs and made him yelp. "Maybe I should've tried a vampire?" she mused aloud, causing her boyfriend to stare at her in bewilderment.

"What was this meeting about?" the brunette slayer wanted to know.

"Oh college stuff mainly," Willow replied quickly. "College starts again tomorrow and we wanted to talk about things. By the way, how's your school going?" This time her voice showed honest interest.

"Not bad," Faith shrugged again.

"She's very good," Spike came down the stairs as well and laid a hand around his girlfriend's waist. "She's a clever girl." Spike and Angel had persuaded Faith to try to get her High school diploma and now she was busy doing exactly that, using the Internet and attending evening courses three times a week.

"Okay, so I'm not all stupid," she gave him a quick smile and disappeared towards the kitchen. In the door she turned "Anyone for coffee? It's our breakfast time. We all slept late, you know."  The little swagger in her hip left no imagination what exactly she meant by 'slept late', and if that hadn't been any indication, the grin Spike gave her retreating backside was a did give-away.

*

Half an hour later, the whole group including Faith and Spike sat around the table in the hall of the mansion, steaming cups of coffee in front of them, with the exception of cups of blood in the vampire's case. The conversation was lively when Angel came down the stairs, his hair still a bit wet from a shower.

"Hey," he greeted them and poured himself some coffee. Suddenly he frowned, "Is something wrong?" It wasn't usual to find the whole Scooby gang assembled in his living room on a Sunday morning.

"No," Willow replied with a smile. "And hey to you too."

"What's the what?" came Buffy's voice from upstairs. Standing beside her boyfriend after a moment she sipped from his cup. Then it suddenly hit her and she slapped her forehead, "Oh shit! Our meeting, I forgot all about it. Angel," she looked at the vampire, "it's your fault."

"Oh," he raised a brow. "And why would it be my fault. I can clearly remember a certain slayer who wouldn't let me sleep."

Buffy ignored the chuckles from her friends and glared at him playfully. Then she suddenly grinned and sighed dramatically, "Well, you're just so irresistible."

Pulling her to him he grinned as well. "Now, why did you want to meet? Oh it was about college, right?"

"Right," Xander nodded. "I'll be a freshman this year," he said proudly.

"Babies," Willow said raising a haughty brow. "Yeah, well, college. But it wasn't really that important." Then she suddenly became serious, "Then at noon a phone call interrupted our happy gathering," she sighed, "and of course the hellmouth never sleeps."

"So?" Buffy gave her an only half-interested gaze.

"Giles," she replied.

"Yeah," Xander jumped into the conversation. "And he seemed mighty exited about some demon."

"Well that's usually the things he gets excited about," Faith said grinning at Spike. "He really needs to get a love life."

Her sister-slayer held up a hand, "No, don't go there. Thinking about Giles and sex is still something that threatens to disturb my mental health. I'm still recovering from the fact that I nearly stumbled over him and Olivia." She shuddered dramatically, then catching her boyfriend's lifted eyebrow, she amended, "Alright, so our relationships aren't of the average kind either, but Giles..." she trailed off, rolling her eyes.

"He's younger than me," Angel reminded her.

"Sure," Buffy gave him a look of mock disgust, "Keep remembering me that I have a relationship with my great-great and overly great ancestor. As if it's not enough that my mom always gives me that certain look."

"She does?" Willow tilted her head. "I thought she was okay with you and Angel."

"Oh, she is," Buffy assured her quickly, "Most of the time anyway. But once or twice a month I catch her giving me that … look. You know, the one saying, 'I wish you were with a nice, normal young man.' Of course then Angel starts telling her about art and history and she dissolves right at his feet." The Slayer grinned at her boyfriend who chuckled in return.

"Maybe your mom needs a love life as well," Anya mused.

Almost choking on her coffee, Buffy gave the former demon a look of pure horror, "My mom? NO! No, no love life for my mother. I've had all of it I can digest."

"Not all the guys out there are robots," Angel reminded her, gently wrapping an arm around her shoulder.

"Yeah, but they all want to become my step-daddy. And I can SO live without that," she replied firmly.

"Well," Willow changed the subject, not really willing to risk the chance that her love life would be discussed next, "the point is that he and Wesley found something they want to discuss with us tonight."

"Oh fun," Buffy groaned, rolling her eyes. "Double-watcher-lecture ... really what I need one day before college starts and the real Pros begin to torture us."

"You'll do great," Angel assured her with a kiss on her temple.

In response she beamed at him, then looked at her friends, "My boyfriend. Isn't he the best? Always knows the right words to cheer up a slayer."

"Yeah," Faith grinned and got up, "there's really something to say for vampires. Everyone should try one at some point. Anyway, anybody up for a brunch?"

When she got positive answers and nods, she disappeared in the kitchen with Spike at her heels.

"So Giles' place it is then tonight," Buffy placed herself on Angel's lap who had occupied the spot Spike and Faith had just left.

"There's something else, Buffy," Willow looked terribly uncomfortable. There was something she wanted to tell her friend for a week now, but hadn't wanted to spoil her holidays.

"What?" the slayer leaned back on her boyfriend's chest and sipped from the coffee they shared, flashing him a small grin, which he answered with a kiss on her head.

"I really don't know how to say this, but ... well, last week ... you know ... I went to the library to check out some book ... and," she took a deep breath, "I ran into an old friend of yours. I really hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I'm afraid Riley is back in Sunnydale."

"Riley?" the word coming from Buffy was barely above a whisper and Angel could feel his girlfriend tensing in his arms.

"Yes," Willow replied and bit her lower lip. She was grateful that Oz took her hand the very same moment and squeezed it. "He was ... well I saw him in the library as well."

"And why - if I may ask - didn't you tell us?" Cordelia voiced the words nobody had asked so far. "I mean, it's not as if a distant cousin came to visit. The sickos he worked for captured Faith - okay so that is understandable up to a certain point, but then also Spike and not to forget Buffy. So the question is, why didn't you think we needed to know that?"

"I told you now," the red-head tried to defend herself.

"Yeah, thanks," Buffy said sarcastically and stood up from her comfortable spot on Angel's lap. "I cannot believe this. Willow, he might have planned something and you didn't tell us."

"I'm sorry, okay," the witch said, "I didn't want to spoil your holidays and thought it would be okay to wait until now, but I can see what you're thinking and I understand why you're so upset."

"Oh great," the blonde slayer shot back, starting to pace the considerable length of the hall.

"Buffy," Angel rose as well and put a hand on her shoulder, but she angrily shrugged it off.

"Don't," she warned him and her eyes were furious. "He was after you, in case you have forgotten. He wanted to hurt you," she shouted and tears began to well up in her eyes. "God, why can't they just leave us alone?"

With a swift movement Angel pulled her in his arms and held her. He knew that her angry reaction was nothing but deep fear for his health or even his life. She was a strong and incredible woman, but her deep love for him and her friends, and the feeling that she was the one responsible to protect them, made her vulnerable. And it wasn't as if he was harboring any fond feelings for the vampire hunting organization Riley had once worked for and maybe still did. He would never forget the moment he'd found Buffy in their cell, motionless and in pain.

"Shhh," he soothed and stroked her back glancing at Willow over her head. The witch gazed at him helplessly and he gave her a smile to assure her it would be alright. Gratefully she smiled back.

"So here are..." Faith, with a tray in her hands, stopped dead in her tracks when she saw the crying slayer in her boyfriend's arms. "What happened?" she demanded.

"Riley's back in Sunnydale," Anya informed her with a bored voice. "Willow here saw Mr.-white-bread in the college library."

"I see," Faith nodded and with clipped movements put the tray on the table. "Any more good news you haven't told us?" she looked at the redhead. "Did he come with or without his demon-capturing buddies? I mean it would be nice to know if there's going to be someone out hunting my boyfriend." She glanced at Spike who was now entering the hall with another tray.

"Calm down," he just said and at the astonished gazes he explained, "Vampire hearing." Then he shrugged, "Actually I'm really looking forward seeing him again, what about you peaches?"

"Not now," Angel warned him, still holding his girlfriend's trembling form in his arms.

"Why?" the blonde vampire shot back. "If we beat him into a bloody pulp he can't be much of a threat anymore and my hands are really itchin'."

"That's my boyfriend," Faith patted his shoulder and grinned.

Finally looking up and pulling back from Angel's embrace, Buffy looked at her sister-slayer. "We don't know what he's up to. I doubt he came because he's still crazy about me and even if there's nobody behind him now, why on earth would he come back to Sunnydale if there isn't something going on in his twisted head?"

"I have to go with the slayer here," Xander looked at Willow. "You should have told us the first time you saw him."

The witch jumped up, "I know, okay, I know that now," she shouted. "And I'm sorry. But we were all so relaxed and happy and after the events of last year," she shrugged, "well I thought you'd see him soon enough. And what would have been different if you'd known? Besides being afraid for a week longer?"

"Willow, it's okay. We aren't angry," Angel assured her, "Buffy's just..."

The blonde slayer interrupted him, "Buffy was just freaking out," she said looking at the redhead, wiping the traces of tears from her cheeks. She took a deep breath, "Sorry, Will. But just the mention of his name reminds me of some of the worst experiences of my life. Still, it was no reason to shout at you like that." She gave her a sheepish smile, "Friends again?"

Willow beamed, "Friends," she nodded. Then she raised her fist, "And if you need a hand in beating him ... you can have mine any time."

As a reaction everyone laughed and the tension disappeared completely. "Let's have brunch now, and then we'll deal with Riley and Giles' demon."

*******

"Now, what can you tell me?" she asked when Riley entered the house.

"She and her vampire boyfriend are still living at the mansion, it obviously belongs to her now. And the other slayer lives there too, also together with an ensouled vampire."

She raised her brows, "Very interesting. You prove to be very useful, my boy. Sit down, have some coffee," she offered.

"No thanks," he managed to say. He wasn't completely comfortable around her. The way her cold eyes seemed to nail him made him shiver. She was even worse than Maggie Walsh, he thought, and not for the first time felt that an alliance with her hadn't been his wisest decision.

She approached him and touched his cheek with her fingertips, "My dear boy, always so shy?" she laughed. A throaty, low noise. "And we could have so much fun together. Don't you think I'm attractive?"

"N-no," he stuttered, "I mean yes, you're very attractive. Very," he assured her.

She laughed again, "Still after that little blonde slayer, I see," she nodded knowingly, but her eyes were like ice. "What's about her that all the men fall for her? Is she the helpless type? Or is it the innocent air around her? Tell me, what's so special?"

"N-nothing," Riley took a step back, away from her hand, which was still on his face. "This has nothing to do with her. But you're older than I..."

"Oh yes," she grinned. "That I am. But I've heard it's quite fashionable to be with an older woman." Then she suddenly shrugged, "Well, I'm not really interested in you anyway." She made a dismissive gesture with her hand, "You may go now. Bring me new information soon. And don't disappoint me!"

Riley bolted from the house, glad when the sunshine surrounded him once again. The woman was downright creepy, and – he had to admit to himself – a lot more dangerous than he'd bargained for. He suddenly wasn't so sure anymore that he would make it out of this alive. And he didn't like the idea one little bit.

... to be continued