Summary: Life Flashes By... A few months have passed since we've last seen
our favorite characters. It's almost Christmastime in Sunnydale; and
Buffys' seventeenth birthday is fast approaching...
AN: Hey, to all my readers! I'M BACK! Well, at least this week. Finals are this week, and I have a 4-day weekend, so... I get to write! I'm so happy. I missed it. Of course, next week I start Oliver! rehearsals. But I'll do what I can. :)
Okay, I wanted to speed some things up in this story - some things, mind you. I know there are a lot of B/A fans out there, and there are also just as many B/S fans. I just want to keep the storyline moving. R / R!!!!
Chapter 10
Life is good, Buffy thought as she licked the last of her ice cream off her spoon. Here she was with her
friends and her boyfriend in the ice cream shop, all together and happy. "This is so great," Buffy sighed as she looked up at Angel from his lap. He smiled. "Yeah. It is." They shared a kiss.
"Uughh! Gag me - please - GAG ME! Will, help me out here!" exclaimed Xander as he scrambled to the wall farthest from the picturesque couple. Buffy and Angel broke apart. Buffy smiled apolegetically. "Sorry, Xan. But ya know, I think it's time to learn to live with us. Face it. We're the model for mushy relationships." She kissed Angel again.
Xander grumbled as he sat down again. " Just try not to go any further while I'm around, okay?" Buffy turned a deep shade of red. " I'll have you know, Xander, that Angel was only trying to see how that cut on my back was!" she exclaimed indignantly. Xander snorted. "So that's why he had to take your top off... completely?"
"Oh, shut up!" Buffy hissed. She knew she'd been defeated. Xander laughed in triumph.
"Leave her alone, Xander," said Willow. She smiled at her best friend. She was the one who had always loved Buffy and Angel together, who'd supported their relationship. She thought it was cute. Though she and Xander were still best friends, it had never progressed any farther. He had been interested in other girls though: their substitute teacher, the foreign exchange student who'd stayed with Buffy, Buffy herself ( and most recently Cordelia. That was a scary relationship. Even scarier than Spike and Drus'. The "Scooby Gang" as Xander called the little circle of friends that was them, couldn't understand the two of them. Cordelia was miss popularity, the school bitch, and May Queen, for God's sake. Xander was... well, Xander.
So the months had flashed by. Buffy had gone to stay with her dad in L.A. for the summer, with Angel missing her every second, seemingly. He couldn't call very much though. When Buffy had gotten back, she had been somewhat defensive and bitter, intent on staying away from her friends. She was distant, different. Angel seemed to bring the old Buffy back after she finally broke down in his arms. She was so frustrated, she'd said. She wasn't happy with what she was doing. Angel had whispered to her that she could do anything she wanted, achieve anything. He'd just held her.
Now it was almost Christmas - but as Xander would put it, ' It's never too cold for ice-cream!' After football season, Buffy had quit cheerleading. She decided that it took up a lot of her time, and that she wanted to enjoy her life. She didn't want to be obligated to the squad. Of course, Cordelia was thrilled because she got her spot back; however, the coach practically begged Buffy to come back whenever she wanted to: especially, she hinted, for competition.
Buffy and Cordelia weren't enemies anymore, but neither were they friends. Cordelias' dating Xander had brought their circles together, and they got along, but they weren't close at all. When Willow had first found out they were dating, she had blanched and ran home. It was Cordelia, she'd said to Buffy on the phone, disgusted. "The We Hate Cordelia Club! Of which Xander is the treasurer!", she'd exclaimed, getting angry. Buffy had tried calming her down, and it had worked. A little. Xander and Willow still had the big talk coming somewhere down the line. So life went on. Buffy took her classes and spent a lot of 'Angel-time'. They were almost inseperable, and recently all over each other.
"Buffy." Angel was talking to her. Oops, she thought. She smiled at him as he kissed her forehead. "Yes?"
He nuzzled her recently shorn blonde locks. " You still haven't told me what you want for your birthday," he murmered. She'd almost forgotten about her upcoming seventeenth birthday. Buffy smiled against his chest. "I'm sure whatever you get me will be wonderful," she softly replied. They kissed. Xander cleared his throat. "Okay, is everyone ready to go home now?" He turned to Oz, Willows' boyfriend who had come along. He had been silent the whole time. Of course, that was just typical Oz. He and Willow were all googly eyes themselves. Cordelia had a hair appointment with Pierre this particular night, so she couldn't attend. " Do you know how long Pierres' waiting list is?" she had exclaimed at Xander just hours earlier. " He is the only stylist I'd trust with my taste." Xander had bit back a snotty reply about her precious Pierre being gay, but decided against it. " So you poor people will just have to suffer through without me. Ta!" Cordy had hung up.
"Sure." That was Oz for you. The man of little words. As the group got up from their table, Buffy tried to start the conversation. "So. Willow! When are you doing your Christmas shopping?" she ventured. Willow turned to Buffy. " That would be Hannukah shopping, I believe. Not everybody worships Santa, people!" Xander tried to calm his shrill friend. "Hey Will, cool down. Presents are presents, after all, right?" He rubbed his hands together excitedly. " So, what did you get me?" Willow smiled mischeviously. " Nuh-uh, mister, not this year! You aren't going to know what you get until you unwrap under the tree. Hey, Xand," she said, her train of thought distracted. " Where, where are we going to have our holiday meeting this year? Because of - because of- "
Xander finished her sentence for her. "Jesse. I know." Buffy looked at him, misunderstanding. Willow explained, getting herself together. " Our friend Jesse was - killed - last spring, just a few months before you came."
Buffy covered her mouth. " Oh Will, Xand..." Her eyes drifted from one to the other, " I'm so sorry. I didn't know." Oz shifted uneasily. Xander tried to smile away her concern, but she could still see the shadows in his eyes. " Hey Buffy, it's no big. It's just that, well, we always had the big holiday party at his house. And now that he's gone..." Buffy brightened at a sudden idea. " Hey! What if you guys came to my house this year? I'm pretty sure Mom would okay it," she asked hopefully. Eveyrone seemed happier all of a sudden, and Willow broke the silence. " Sure Buffy, that'd be great!" She got another chorus of agreements. Buffy smiled. " Good. It's settled. Everyone at my house Chrstmas Eve." She kissed Angels' cheek. " And Angel... I think you'd better think about a Christmas present before my birthday present, sweetie." Angel grinned. " I'm sure."
They all walked on home, happy.
AN: Hey, to all my readers! I'M BACK! Well, at least this week. Finals are this week, and I have a 4-day weekend, so... I get to write! I'm so happy. I missed it. Of course, next week I start Oliver! rehearsals. But I'll do what I can. :)
Okay, I wanted to speed some things up in this story - some things, mind you. I know there are a lot of B/A fans out there, and there are also just as many B/S fans. I just want to keep the storyline moving. R / R!!!!
Chapter 10
Life is good, Buffy thought as she licked the last of her ice cream off her spoon. Here she was with her
friends and her boyfriend in the ice cream shop, all together and happy. "This is so great," Buffy sighed as she looked up at Angel from his lap. He smiled. "Yeah. It is." They shared a kiss.
"Uughh! Gag me - please - GAG ME! Will, help me out here!" exclaimed Xander as he scrambled to the wall farthest from the picturesque couple. Buffy and Angel broke apart. Buffy smiled apolegetically. "Sorry, Xan. But ya know, I think it's time to learn to live with us. Face it. We're the model for mushy relationships." She kissed Angel again.
Xander grumbled as he sat down again. " Just try not to go any further while I'm around, okay?" Buffy turned a deep shade of red. " I'll have you know, Xander, that Angel was only trying to see how that cut on my back was!" she exclaimed indignantly. Xander snorted. "So that's why he had to take your top off... completely?"
"Oh, shut up!" Buffy hissed. She knew she'd been defeated. Xander laughed in triumph.
"Leave her alone, Xander," said Willow. She smiled at her best friend. She was the one who had always loved Buffy and Angel together, who'd supported their relationship. She thought it was cute. Though she and Xander were still best friends, it had never progressed any farther. He had been interested in other girls though: their substitute teacher, the foreign exchange student who'd stayed with Buffy, Buffy herself ( and most recently Cordelia. That was a scary relationship. Even scarier than Spike and Drus'. The "Scooby Gang" as Xander called the little circle of friends that was them, couldn't understand the two of them. Cordelia was miss popularity, the school bitch, and May Queen, for God's sake. Xander was... well, Xander.
So the months had flashed by. Buffy had gone to stay with her dad in L.A. for the summer, with Angel missing her every second, seemingly. He couldn't call very much though. When Buffy had gotten back, she had been somewhat defensive and bitter, intent on staying away from her friends. She was distant, different. Angel seemed to bring the old Buffy back after she finally broke down in his arms. She was so frustrated, she'd said. She wasn't happy with what she was doing. Angel had whispered to her that she could do anything she wanted, achieve anything. He'd just held her.
Now it was almost Christmas - but as Xander would put it, ' It's never too cold for ice-cream!' After football season, Buffy had quit cheerleading. She decided that it took up a lot of her time, and that she wanted to enjoy her life. She didn't want to be obligated to the squad. Of course, Cordelia was thrilled because she got her spot back; however, the coach practically begged Buffy to come back whenever she wanted to: especially, she hinted, for competition.
Buffy and Cordelia weren't enemies anymore, but neither were they friends. Cordelias' dating Xander had brought their circles together, and they got along, but they weren't close at all. When Willow had first found out they were dating, she had blanched and ran home. It was Cordelia, she'd said to Buffy on the phone, disgusted. "The We Hate Cordelia Club! Of which Xander is the treasurer!", she'd exclaimed, getting angry. Buffy had tried calming her down, and it had worked. A little. Xander and Willow still had the big talk coming somewhere down the line. So life went on. Buffy took her classes and spent a lot of 'Angel-time'. They were almost inseperable, and recently all over each other.
"Buffy." Angel was talking to her. Oops, she thought. She smiled at him as he kissed her forehead. "Yes?"
He nuzzled her recently shorn blonde locks. " You still haven't told me what you want for your birthday," he murmered. She'd almost forgotten about her upcoming seventeenth birthday. Buffy smiled against his chest. "I'm sure whatever you get me will be wonderful," she softly replied. They kissed. Xander cleared his throat. "Okay, is everyone ready to go home now?" He turned to Oz, Willows' boyfriend who had come along. He had been silent the whole time. Of course, that was just typical Oz. He and Willow were all googly eyes themselves. Cordelia had a hair appointment with Pierre this particular night, so she couldn't attend. " Do you know how long Pierres' waiting list is?" she had exclaimed at Xander just hours earlier. " He is the only stylist I'd trust with my taste." Xander had bit back a snotty reply about her precious Pierre being gay, but decided against it. " So you poor people will just have to suffer through without me. Ta!" Cordy had hung up.
"Sure." That was Oz for you. The man of little words. As the group got up from their table, Buffy tried to start the conversation. "So. Willow! When are you doing your Christmas shopping?" she ventured. Willow turned to Buffy. " That would be Hannukah shopping, I believe. Not everybody worships Santa, people!" Xander tried to calm his shrill friend. "Hey Will, cool down. Presents are presents, after all, right?" He rubbed his hands together excitedly. " So, what did you get me?" Willow smiled mischeviously. " Nuh-uh, mister, not this year! You aren't going to know what you get until you unwrap under the tree. Hey, Xand," she said, her train of thought distracted. " Where, where are we going to have our holiday meeting this year? Because of - because of- "
Xander finished her sentence for her. "Jesse. I know." Buffy looked at him, misunderstanding. Willow explained, getting herself together. " Our friend Jesse was - killed - last spring, just a few months before you came."
Buffy covered her mouth. " Oh Will, Xand..." Her eyes drifted from one to the other, " I'm so sorry. I didn't know." Oz shifted uneasily. Xander tried to smile away her concern, but she could still see the shadows in his eyes. " Hey Buffy, it's no big. It's just that, well, we always had the big holiday party at his house. And now that he's gone..." Buffy brightened at a sudden idea. " Hey! What if you guys came to my house this year? I'm pretty sure Mom would okay it," she asked hopefully. Eveyrone seemed happier all of a sudden, and Willow broke the silence. " Sure Buffy, that'd be great!" She got another chorus of agreements. Buffy smiled. " Good. It's settled. Everyone at my house Chrstmas Eve." She kissed Angels' cheek. " And Angel... I think you'd better think about a Christmas present before my birthday present, sweetie." Angel grinned. " I'm sure."
They all walked on home, happy.