Angel was in bliss. He was holding a beautiful girl to his chest. She was resting her head just under his chin. *It's like we were custom made for one another,* he thought. Angel had been with many girls before, but none like this. They swayed gently to the sensual music of Cibo Matto. Her hair shone in the dark lights of the club, and smelt of vanilla. It was his favourite sent in all the world, Angel decided, especially on Buffy.
"Don't they make the perfect couple?" Willow sighed. Tara smiled and took Willow's hand, "Yeah, they do."
They got up at the same time and made their way next to Buffy and Angel to dance.
Xander and Anya were moving to the soft beat near by.
The group walked down one of the many streets of LA, away from the club. Anya and Xander were still groping wildly, yet keeping up with the others. Buffy, Willow and Tara were discussing some man who they all reorganised from the television and were trying to work out which program exactly.
"You like her." Gunn stated to his oldest and best friend.
"I do." Angel replied, a faraway look in his eyes.
"My god, Angel 'screw em and leave em' actually falling for someone." Gunn laughed.
"I don't 'screw them and leave them.'" Angel objected.
"Nah, just screw 'em and then don't call 'em."
Angel shrugged, "It's just when she enters a room, it's like someone turns on a light. She is the only one I can focus on."
"You've only known her a week!" But Gunn knew Angel was serious, "Good for you man. She's cool. Plus, sex on legs."
Angel smiled, "Well, yeah."
Xander detached himself from Anya's lips, "See you Monday." He called, as they both turned into another road.
They all said there good-byes and carried on down their route.
"Where do you live Buffy?" Angel asked just as Tara let out a scream and toppled over.
Willow crouched next to her, "Baby are you ok?"
She sat up and groaned, "My ankle. My heel snapped."
Buffy also crouched by her, "You ankle's swelling. Can you move it?"
Tara moved it slightly, but gasped in pain.
"It could be broken. My house it just a street away, if you can make it to my place, my cousin's a doctor."
Angel and Gunn stepped forward and helped her up onto her good foot. After a few steps, Angel swept her into his arms.
"I feel like a princess." Tara joked, before wincing in pain again.
Buffy stopped outside a smallish house, where the front light was on. She got a key out and unlocked the door.
"Come in." she said.
They all crowded into her empty living room. It was nicely decorated, warm spicy colours that immediately made you feel at home.
"Take a seat." She said. Angel put Tara down on the sofa, Gunn and Willow joined her and Angel took a seat on the armchair.
Buffy ran up the stairs.
"Ryan?" she called.
Ryan came out of his and Laura's bedroom. The television was going and he was still dressed, although it was one in the morning.
"Hello, did you have a nice time?" he asked.
"Yeah, um, my friends are all here. Tara fell, I think she may have broken her ankle." She explained.
They went down the stairs together.
"Hello." He greeted to the full room. "I'm guessing Tara's the one who's ankle is the size of a football." He joked.
"No, I'm Tara." Gunn quipped. They all laughed.
He knelt in front of her and gently felt it.
"Can you get an icepack Buff?" he asked.
She disappeared and came back with some frozen peas. "I thought I'd go with the cliché." She said.
Ryan took it and wrapped it around her once slender ankle.
"It's not broken, it's sprained. I'll take the swelling down, give you some painkillers and bandage it up. It should be better in around three days."
Just then Laura entered, "Oh hello." She said, "You all thirsty?"
She left the room and came back in with a pot of tea. "I already made this." She said and poured them all a cup each.
"By the way, this is my cousin Ryan and his wife Laura." Buffy introduced, "That's Angel, Gunn, Willow and Tara."
"Were the bands good?" Laura asked, "I love K's Choice. We had our first dance at our wedding to one of their songs." She said with a smile in Ryan's direction.
"Yeah, they both have played in Sunnydale before." Buffy said, "They were good."
They all agreed.
"There all done." Ryan said, just finishing with the bandages he had retrieved. "Do you want a lift home?"
"I don't want to trouble you anymore." Tara said.
"I'm on night duty now. I have to be ready all night to go in, so it would be no problem."
"Thanks so much" Tara said.
"I have some soft pumps you can borrow." Buffy suggested, "So you can get to your door without your foot getting cold."
Angel followed her upstairs to get them.
Her bedroom was a reasonable size. She had a double bed. It was painted white, and she had a lilac bedspread.
Buffy walked over to a cupboard and pulled out a black soft shoes. "They might be a bit small actually, they are from a few years ago." Buffy said.
Then she pulled out some fluffy pink slippers. "These?"
"I'm sure they will be fine." Angel said with a laugh. Some pictures caught her eye on a dresser. Some were of Buffy and two dark haired girls, one younger and the other the same age. Others were of a man and a woman who were obviously her parents. Others were of Buffy and a guy with bleached blonde hair.
"Are they your parents?" Angel asked. Buffy nodded and her eyes immediately filled with tears.
"Oh god, I'm sorry." Angel said, "I didn't mean to…"
"It's ok. Yeah, that's my Mom and Dad. Those two are my sisters, Faith and Dawn. That's my old best friend Spike. Buffy said quietly, a lone tear rolling down her cheek.
"Let's get these to Tara." She said, rubbing her tears away angrily.
"Do you want to talk?" Angel asked, "They can wait."
She shook her head, "No, it's ok. Maybe soon."
They went back downstairs.
"Will these be alright?" she asked, handing then to Tara.
"Yes thanks. Thank you for everything." Tara answered. Ryan and Gunn helped her out, and left to go to the car.
"Thank you for the tea." Willow said to Laura.
"Anytime." Laura and Willow both walked out to the car, talking about computers which they both had an interest in.
Gunn gave Buffy a kiss on the cheek, "I'll see you on Monday, Blondie." He said and followed the others.
"That's his way of saying he likes you. Well, if Gunn didn't, you would know about it." Angel laughed.
"Do you want to come over tomorrow? For Sunday dinner? Laura's a great cook." Buffy offered.
"Will they mind?" Angel asked.
"Oh no, they said I could invite you all over anyway. But
is it alright if it's just you?" Buffy said.
"What time?" he smiled.
"Twelve-thirty?" she replied.
"Come on Angel, if you want a lift." Gunn called, coming back to the door.
"See you tomorrow." Angel said.
"Goodbye. Thanks for the lovely evening." said Buffy.
"Bye Buff!" Gunn called.
Laura came back in and closed the door behind her. "They
are all so nice." she said.
"Yeah. I like Angel." Buffy said dreamily.
Laura smile at the look on Buffy's face, "He is gorgeous. I might divorce Ryan and make a play for him myself."
"Don't you even think about it." Buffy laughed. "He's coming over tomorrow, for lunch. That's still ok isn't it?"
"I told you, any of your friends are welcome at any time. This is your home now Buffy."
"I made such a fool of myself, when Angel and I got the slippers, he asked about my pictures and I burst into tears." Buffy said, looking annoyed at herself.
"That's alright you know, you can show weakness in front of other people. You don't have to be strong all the time." Laura said gently.
"Ice cream?" Buffy asked, swiftly changing the subject.
"I got Ben and Jerry's in." Laura grinned, as the two girls went into the kitchen.
