Disclaimer: I most unfortunately don't own anything…
Rating: R
Spoilers: None/AU
Distribution: Ask First
Feedback: Good Bad whatever!!
Summary: AU Angelus O'Connor and Buffy Summers are best friends until time and distance pulls them apart.
Flashback: Twelve-year-old Angel O'Connor has lived in Sunnydale all his life. His father walked out on his mom and him when he was three. His mother, Eliana is a travel agent and was never home for more than a week, leaving Angel lonely most of his days. One summer afternoon Angel noticed moving vans running in and out of the what used to be vacant next-door house. "Angel?" called Eliana, "yeah mom?" "Go introduce yourself to the new neighbors, they have a daughter a bit younger then you, maybe you can show her around." "Sure Mom" Angel answered.
Walking over, Angel spotted a woman and what looked to be her daughter, she had the most beautiful blonde hair Angel had ever seen.
"Hi, My names Angel, I live next door." Angel offered
" Hi Angel I'm Joyce and this is my daughter Buffy" Joyce said.
The young girl offered a small nervous wave. Angel smiled back warmly.
" Joyce, if you want I can take her off your hands for awhile and we can get to know each other, if its all right with Miss. Buffy of course" Angel looked over to the girl now standing in front of her mother.
"Sure, can I go mom" The now confident Buffy answered back
"Of course sweetie don't go far" Joyce returned.
Angel walked over and took young Buffy's hand and started the other way. Buffy smiling warmly back. Joyce observed from a distance 'this will be good for Buffy, getting to know the neighbors and the community.'
" So Buffy, where are you and your mom from?" Angel asked curiously.
"L.A actually, we moved here after my mom and dad divorced."
"Oh, I'm sorry do you miss your dad?"
"No, he was never around much to get to know, what about you?" Buffy said.
"My dad left a few years ago, better for my mom and me I guess." Angel answered back grimly. "What do you say I take you in town and get some icecream?" "Yes!" Buffy answered excitedly adding a little bounce in her step.
From that day on Angel and Buffy became best friends. With Angel's mom gone so often Angel practically lived with Buffy and Joyce, much to Buffy's delight. 'End Flashback'
Seventeen-year-old Senior Angel O'Connor waited patiently outside the Summers residence on what would be fifteen-year-old Buffy's first day of highschool.
"Come on Summers get a move on." Angel yelled good-naturedly.
"How do I look?" Asked a voice behind Angel.
Turning around Angel saw Buffy standing in the doorway wearing low rise hip hugger jeans and a tight dark green top, spinning around for dramatic affect. Angel stood in awe not being able to stop staring at the little blonde beauty he could call his best friend.
"Angel?"
"What, sorry Buff…." Angel answered, too distracted to notice anything but her.
"Well I take it I look amazing considering you're drooling." Buffy laughed as she brushed past him torwards his car. Instinctively Angel wiped his mouth and followed after her, watching her hips sway slightly.
Neither one of the friends wanted to admit that they loved each other, not the 'you're my best friend I love ya' type of love but the 'I'm in love with you, and you're mine forever' type of love. All of their friends knew about the steadily growing attraction that came naturally with their close bond as friends.
Pulling into Sunnydale's one and only highschool Angel looked over at Buffy who was fiddling nervously with her purse.
"Its going to be fine Buffy, I'm going to be here all day, so will Spike." Angel consoled, referring to his close friend of many years.
"I know Angel, but you won't always be here to hold my hand." Buffy answered.
"Maybe not love, but he'll always be there, damn poof'll never let you go." Spike said nearing the car. "Bloody sap if you ask me"
"Shut up Spike." Angel said as he took Buffy's hand and headed for the school.
Entering the school Buffy noticed many people looking at Angel and her including the nearing Cordelia, who was also a senior, and consistently trying to have a go at Angel, like many other girls.
"Hey Angel" the saccharine sweet voice of Cordeila called, from beside them. "Bunny is it, welcome to highschool."
"Whatever bitch" Buffy snapped back. "Angel, I'm going to go find Willow, I'll see you later" Deciding to push Cordy's buttons just a bit, Buffy leaned up and kissed Angel lightly on the lips.
Angel smiled slightly, looking over at the now fuming Cordelia.
"I don't know what you see in that little girl, you could have any girl you want Angel, and instead you hang around her and her loser friends."
"Well Cordy, lets just say, being the biggest bitch/whore in the entire school isn't the best turn on" Angel said as he walked torwards Buffy and Willow..
Spike, who was listening from behind, spoke up after Cordelia "You'll never get between those two, you shouldn't even try, everyone else will always be second best compared to her"
In the following days, Angel and Buffy grew closer then they ever were before, Angel walking Buffy to many of her classes, holding her between classes just to be close to her. The entire student body knew of their close relationship, as did many of the teachers that couldn't help but to notice the protective, almost possessive senior and freshmen.
Now May, the prom was coming up Angel, and every other senior out there was planning their big night, but Angel, couldn't bring himself to ask Buffy. One night on their annual movie fests Buffy was curled comfortably in Angels arms watching 'Cruel Intentions' sensing that something wasn't really right with Angel she pulled away and looked up at him. 'Gods he is so gorgeous, what would I ever do without him' "Angel?" she queried. "Hmm…" he answered sleepily. "Angel what's wrong, something's been bothering you for awhile."
"Nothings wrong baby, I'm just tired"
"That's bullshit and you know it Angel, please tell me." Buffy answered angrily.
"Fine, you know what, I have been beating myself up all week over asking you to prom." Angel snapped.
"You want to take me to prom?" Buffy said, clearly stunned but also very happy.
"Yes." He answered sheepishly.
"I'd love to go with you, what did you think I would say no?" She questioned.
"Well I don't know, I was just being stupid, so you'll go?" He replied happily.
"Of course, I wouldn't miss it for the world" Buffy said, gathering up some courage and leaning over to kiss him lightly like she had so many times before. Wanting to keep the kiss short, she went to pull away only to have Angel hold her neck gently kissing her back with passion. Shocked, but thoroughly enjoying this, she opened her mouth to Angel's insistent tongue. Both of them growing bolder, their tongues dueled for dominance, Buffy finally surrendering letting Angel ravage her mouth.
Its going to be loveIts going to be great
Its going to be more than I can take
Finally, Angel pulled away panting for breath looked up at Buffy wondering how she was going to respond to his kiss. 'Oh my god what just happened..' wondered Buffy. Seeing her confusion he pulled her into his lap and smiled down at her, holding her tight Buffy not knowing whether it was protectiveness or possessiveness. Laying her head on Angel's chest she got comfortable and drifted off to sleep.
The next day: "Oh my god Wills it was amazing, it just happened I have no idea" Buffy gushed, walking down main street looking for a dress.
"Its about time something happened between the two of you." Willow laughed.
"What do you mean Will?" Buffy wondered
"Please Buffy the whole school see's it, you two belong together 'best friends' aren't as close as you two are." Willow answered rolling her eyes.
"Willow, we aren't that close." Buffy said, exasperated.
"Please Buffy, you guys share a bed most nights, for gods sake."
"Whatever, come on I see a dress shop over here." Buffy answered walking away. 'The whole school? We aren't that close are we?'
An hour later, Buffy and Willow walked out of the shop both holding bags.
"Whoo, Angel is so going to lose it when he see's you in this." Willow said.
"I know, the dress is perfect!" Buffy answered.
Prom Night:
Angel waited at the bottom of the Summer's stairs waiting for Buffy to make her grand entrance, it was finally prom night, the night both of them had been waiting for since the night of their kiss.
"Ahem" A voice called from the stairs. Whirling around, Angel stood slack-jawed at the beautiful woman walking down the stairs at him.
Buffy, who was wearing a crimson red floor length gown, cut elegantly into a 'V' in front, and was cut dangerously low down her back, coming all the way down her back stopping right below her tribal tattoo on the base of her spine. Walking down the stairs, Angel got a peek at her well-shaped legs, peeking through a slit up the thigh of her dress stopping just before her hips. Her hair falling elegantly down her back. Stopping at the bottom of the stairs Buffy stood looking at Angel, who was looking quite fine in his tux. 'Oh yeah, he so lost his 'it'.'
"You look beautiful baby" was all he could muster.
"Thanks, you don't look so bad yourself" She blushed.
"Okay Okay guys, its picture time before you go, oh gods look at you two, you both look amazing" Buffy's mom gushed at them.
After what seemed like hours of pictures, Buffy and Angel finally made it to prom, stopping right outside of the doors.
"Ready love?" Angel asked, knowing there would be stares and comments.
"Definitely." She replied confidently moving torwards the door.
At their arrival, all eyes turned toward the couple, awed stares of amazement and jealously rang through the gym as a new song started.
Childhood living is easy to do
The things you wanted
I brought them to you
Graceless lady
You know who I am
"Dance with me?" Angel asked, pulling Buffy to the floor.
You know I don't let youSlide through my hands
Wild Horses, couldn't drag me away
Wild, Wild Horses, couldn't drag me away
Buffy moved into Angels arms just enjoying the feel of him holding her, ignoring the stares and whispers they were getting from their classmates.
I watched you sufferA dull aching pain
Now you decided
To show me the same
No sweeping exits
Or off stage lines
You make me feel bitter
Or treat you unkind
Wild Horses, Couldn't drag me away
Wild Wild horses, couldn't drag me away
Angel, pulled away slightly looking down at the girl in his arms, amazed by how much he loves her.
"I love you," He whispered.
I know I dreamed youA sun and a lie
I have my freedom
But not much time
Startled but not shocked, Buffy buried her face in his chest and whispered back "I love you too Angel"
Faith has been brokenTears must be cried
Lets do some living
After we die
Wild horses, couldn't drag me away
Wild Wild horses, we'll ride them someday
Wild horses, couldn't drag me away
Wild Wild horses, we'll ride them someday