SPOILERS*~* If you haven't seen the SERIES finale and don't want to be
spoiled... I suggest you don't read this right now. Also I spoil some stuff about Angel's final season 4 episodes so beware…you're warned.
She's Baked 2/?
When Buffy woke up she found that both of
Angel's arm securely held her to him. She needed to go talk to Willow as soon
as possible to get it over with. She opened her eyes slowly. It felt like
all of this was a dream. The Hellmouth is gone and now every single
slayer on every continent is activated, she can finally be free. She's not
fully needed anymore. Of course she'd help out, but for now she had only
two missions. Live her life as normally as possible, happily and to train
slayers.
As the minutes passed on she became more
anxious to get to Willow. *Damn it Angel wake up already.* She
thought. *You sleep like a freaking log.* She grinned, *He
looks cute when he's sleeping.* A couple more minutes passed. *That's
it. I can't take the waiting.*
Carefully and slowly she lifted Angel's
arm and put laid it at his side. She did the same to his other arm.
Then as she began to rise off the bed Angel pulled her back down. She
gasped and looked at him. He wore his trademark smile that she always
loved. Still loved. "Where do you think you're going'?"
"Oh, I was just going to look in your
medicine cabinet. You know they say that you can learn a lot from a
person by what they have in there." She grinned and giggled.
"Hmm...."
"Actually, I was going to go see
Willow. I need to ask her something?" Buffy said.
"What about? Something I could
help with?" He asked as his fingers caressed her arm.
"I would tell you, but I think for
now I should just talk to Willow about this. I'm sure you'll find out
soon." She replied cryptically. "But first I need to take
a shower."
"You do that." He smiled,
"I'll be downstairs."
"Kay." She kissed his cheek and
went into the bathroom. A minute later she stepped out, "You wouldn't by
any chance have something I could wear?"
"I'll give you one of my shirts since
I'm not so sure Fred's shirts will fit you, but I'm sure her pants will fit
you." He said although the truth was he just liked seeing her in his
button down shirts. "They'll be waiting for you when you get
out."
"Thanks." Buffy chirped and went
back into the bathroom.
When Angel heard the water running he
picked out a navy, cotton button down shirt. He placed that on the bed
and fetched one of Fred's pants for her. Then he went downstairs where
the others stood around eating.
Willow and Kennedy were in their own
little world, staring into each others eyes and nuzzling each other's foreheads
and whispering sweet words. Willow kept calling Kennedy her guardian
angel and Kennedy was calling her a goddess. Dawn and Andrew were both
staring at Lorne. After everybody was settle it finally set in that there
was a green demon with horns who had a very interesting fashion sense.
"I still say we should have gone to Mexico." Dawn slapped
his shoulder unintentionally really hard. "Ow..."
She chuckled, "Will you stop talking
about Mexico? Mexico this, Mexico that. We're here... we don't have to worry
about money or a place to stay so just be glad."
"Sorry." He said, sheepishly.
"It's okay. If it makes you
happy you can say something about Mexico at least once a month if you
must." Dawn smiled.
Faith was sitting in Robins lap, his arm
around her. To the others it looked like she finally found a man to
really commit to. For Faith, having Robin... it made her feel like she
was home, needed and cared for.
Out of the corner of his eyes a few times
Xander caught Lorne staring at him. More like studying him. It was
starting to freak him out a little. Finally the green demon spoke,
"I'm feeling a deep sadness emanating from you, but also happiness.
You seem torn because of your loved one."
Xander paused, "Yeah... Anya...
she... Andrew said she died saving his life."
"Mm.. It makes sense why you'd be
torn. You're so sad that she's dead and you're not with her..."
"But at the same time I'm overwhelmed
with this feeling of being proud of her. For a while we were engaged, but
I feared our marriage would end up like my parents', so we ended it. It
took a while for to her forgive me. I think she forgives me."
"I'm sure she does. It's hard
not to forgive someone who is as caring and truthful as you. I bet
eventually she realized that you were only doing what's best for your
relationship." Lorne said gently. '
"It's hard, I never thought the day
would come where she wouldn't be here anymore." Xander said quietly, his
eye slightly misty.
"Don't worry Twinkie ... One thing I
can definitely be sure about some time in the near future you'll able to feel
at peace with her death."
Xander let out a small smile, "I hope
so."
Angel walked up to them all and stood
watching them converse. One of the young slayers looked at Angel up and
down appreciating the view. "So you're Angel? Faith's told us a bit
about you..."
"Really, what'd she say?" Angel
asked smiling.
"That you and Buffy were involved
once.. you dumped her like a dumbass because you thought that once you left
she'd have a normal life. Faith wasn't sure if you'd ever realize that being a
slayer there's a limit on how normal a person can be. Also she said you
were really hot. I'd have to agree." She smirked.
He laughed, "I seem to be getting
that a lot."
Wesley asked Giles, "The file that
Angel gave Buffy... was it helpful?"
"Very, actually." He cleaned his
glasses. "Buffy had retrieved a weapon from the first. The
scythe. The file had a bit of information on it, but mostly about the
first of course. And now the Hellmouth is closed for good." Giles
smiled. "Buffy can finally rest."
Wesley smiled, "She can... Although
if you're all sticking around with us... I doubt you guys will get a big break
from the supernatural." He chuckled.
"Hmm... Willow's told me a little
about what was going on. What she knew anyway. What was the big
evil?"
"Jasmine... she had appeared to be a
saint of sorts. Created literal peace on earth at the same time she ate
lots of the people that were brainwashed by her. We all were at first....
but Fred" He smiled, "Found a way to reverse the affects.
Jasmine's blood.. and then of course once Angel was ok. They put two and two
together... Cordelia being the 'mother' of Jasmine... they used her blood to
get the rest of us back to see what she really was. Angel went to another
dimension, bringing back the key to showing everyone the truth. Conner
killed Jasmine."
"Conner.... he is Angel's son,
yes?" Giles asked while cleaning his glasses.
"Yes." Wesley replied.
"He's not here anymore. I'm not 100% sure how he did, but using
Wolfram & Hart he gave Conner a real family. Conner was deeply
troubled."
"What amazes me the most... is
everything that happened to Cordelia. This firm of yours... are they any
closer to finding a way for Cordelia to wake up?" He asked.
"Sadly, no. For now though, she
is being taken cared of." He replied with a frown.
Giles studied Wesley's face. Then he
quietly and slowly said, "I'm not sure who's changed the most. You
or Cordelia... considering part of Cordelia's changes were due to the meddling
powers that be... I think it's you who has changed the most since I last saw
you. You can see it in your eyes. You've grown beyond
serious. I'm sorry."
"I'd have to agree with you on
that."
Buffy slowly walked down the winding
stairway. Looking through her group of friends she spotted Willow with
Kennedy. She grinned at how happy Willow looked with Kennedy. Too
bad she needed to take her away from Kennedy for a while. She tapped
Willow's shoulder.
Angel watched Buffy from a few feet away.
"Willow? Can I please talk with you
upstairs? It's pretty important." Buffy asked quietly.
"Sure, of course." She smiled.
"I'll be back, soon." She said to Kennedy.
Buffy then led her up the stairs to
Angel's room. Closing the door she said quickly, "Ok. I'm going to
ask you if there's something you can do for me. Mainly if it can be done
and I'll understand if you're too tired right now from your previous
spell." She sat next to Willow on the bed.
"Spill... You're starting to babble a
little." Willow smirked.
"Do you think it's a possibility of a
spell existing that would make Angel's soul permanent... or better yet...
human?" She asked.
"I don't know, Buffy... I guess it's
a possibility. I'd have to do some research."
"I'd understand though if you don't
want to do it. I know you had a hard enough time getting yourself
prepared for that last spell... which by the way I never got a chance to say
job well done."
Willow smiled, "That spell was
nifty." She giggled. "Anyway... I'll work on it. If I
find something I'll definitely do it. Have you told Angel about
this?"
Buffy shook her head. "I want to
surprise him. Of course we'll have to tell him what we're doing first,
but first we actually.. Uh have to know what we're doing. Ooh! Maybe that
Wolfram & Hart will know something useful."
"Wouldn't you need Angel to access
their files?" Willow asked squinting her eyes slightly.
"Technically, no. I mean sure
Angel is like the head boss there now, but Wesley, Gunn, Fred and Lorne also
are kinda in charge. I could ask any one of them. I'll ask Wesley
to help me."
"Good idea... you do that.
Meanwhile I'll search the net and stuff." Willow got up. "Now come
down stairs, eat something and then go back to cuddling with Angel."
Buffy laughed, "I so am." She
got up too. "Willow, what's up with you and Fred? Every time
she's around you she seems to get all giddy."
Willow smirked, "I think she's got a
thing for me. I already kinda told her that I'm with Kennedy. I
don't know maybe she's having trouble letting that notion go. She's a
nice girl though. We have a lot in common. Ya know... all the science and
stuff."
Half way down the stairs Buffy replied,
"Will, did you every think maybe she gets all giddy around you because
of all that science and stuff?"
Willow's face scrunched up a little and
she stopped walking for a second, "Huh. I never thought."
Buffy chuckled, "C'mon."
They continued down the steps and
joined their friends. Buffy grabbed a bagel and let Angel's arm surround
her. Warming her. Buffy sighed happily, taking a bite of her bagel.
TBC :)
