Don-sorry, I guess I assumed that people watch the tv show, 'bad me'. I'll look over the chapter and see if I can't make if clearer.
Buffy pressed the button and Angel's face came on screen. "Hey you!" she smiled and Jon could see the obvious affection she had for the man.
"Hi Buffy, how are you?" Angel asked. His office with the opaque windows was visible and brought back memories.
Shaking them off she said "I'm good. What's happening?"
Angel shrugged, "We have a new Slayer." His eyes were sad and Buffy sucked in a breath. "Who died?" she asked.
"Do you remember Bridget Donnelly? From Ireland?"
Buffy did remember, Angel had been so proud of the redhead from his homeland. "What happened?" she asked quietly.
He sighed in regret. "It was a vicious cell of vamps in Belfast." He stopped, "They tortured her Buffy."
Buffy closed her eyes, "How old was she?"
"Just 17."
"Damn it, damn it damn it! Did you fix it?" her eyes and her voice were fierce.
He nodded slowly, "Indeed I did." A hint of his homeland shading the words.
"Ok." Buffy sighed, getting herself under control. "Ok, tell me about the new Slayer."
Angel smiled, it always comforted him to talk to Buffy about her sister Slayers. "She's 14 and her name is Karen Beal, and she's very strong."
"Her parents?" Buffy asked.
Angel nodded, "So far so good, but they don't like their posh life being interrupted. I feel that their support will evaporate soon and then I'll play hardball."
Buffy laughed, "Oh yeah, a dose of reality. Good Luck."
Angel went quiet and Buffy stiffened, knowing something was on his mind. "When are you coming home?" he asked bluntly and Jon sat up in surprise.
"What? I'm in the middle of space Angel! Get real!" Buffy sputtered in shock.
"I checked, you can get a transfer when you get new crew and take the transport back to Earth. The Watcher council could really use your expertise." He countered stubbornly.
Buffy shook her head slowly, aware that Jon was listening to every word. "I am home Angel."
He looked into her eyes, "You've met someone el…" He swallowed, "someone."
"I fell in love." She said simply and Angel closed his eyes briefly, not realizing she still had the power to hurt him so badly.
"Does he make you happy?" He asked quietly.
Buffy sat silent for a moment. "I'm so happy I don't have the words. He fills me Angel." She sighed quietly, "He's not something I'll give up without a fight." Her hazel eyes shone with emotions too powerful to name.
Angel's heart cracked quietly, "As long as he makes you happy."
"You'll keep me in the loop about the Slayers?" Her eyes were steady on his and he nodded, "Of course. I'll tell Cordelia that you said hello." And the connection terminated.
"Don't bother." Buffy sniped at the darkened screen, then spun around to look at Jon. "Well, what do you suppose that was all about?" she asked, eyes wide and a little bewildered.
Jon had an odd look on his face, "He loves you." Buffy shook her head slowly, her eyes focused on the past.
"I don't think so, but there's something you should know." She said suddenly, looking down at the floor then up, "Angel is a vampire. He's also my first lover. We might be together if I hadn't sent him to hell, and he hadn't left me twice." She sighed as she remembered the pain and hurt. "Then I met you." Her eyes checked to see if he understood.
"Isn't a Vampire and a Slayer well, wrong?" he asked in confusion.
"Well, I never did anything by the book." Her lover snorted at that massive understatement.
"Do you still love him?"
"He's an important part of my life in regard to the Slayers. He was my first love and I'll always remember that, but comparing our love, to that young teenage love?" she shook her head with a smile, "No comparison."
He kissed her softly. "So you'll move in with me?" Back to important things.
"You'll be sorry, I love to collect shoes." She warned.
He laughed happily, "I'll have Trip make you more storage."
Angel sat and stared blankly at his computer. She had fallen in love. He knew that the wild hope he felt when he saw she was alive was wrong. He was married to Cordy after all, but for one shining moment he thought he could have his dream of Buffy and him together. He shook his head in disgust, she was in space and had fallen in love, moving on into her new life. He wanted to be happy for her. Really.
Before they went on duty in the morning Buffy and Jon went to her quarters to clear them out. She didn't have a lot of things, mostly pictures of her family and the Scoobies, her scant clothing and her bat'leth. She came back in after taking an armful of things to her new quarters to see Jon staring at the bat'leth hanging on her wall.
"What?" she asked.
He turned and gave her a look, "I think the moment I fell for you was when you handed me the bloody bat'leth and knocked out Kalak."
Buffy laughed, "And I was so looking my best."
He took her shoulders and pulled her close, "You looked like an avenging goddess. You were incredibly beautiful, even with your eye swelling shut and the blood in your hair." He chuckled at the face she made.
"Ick, how romantic. It must be love."
He bent to give her a soft kiss when they heard footsteps down the passageway. Hoshi came in and stopped, "Ooops, sorry."
Buffy stepped back, "Nothing to see Hoshi."
She threw a look at Jon who chuckled and shook his head, "I'll get the bat'leth, and you ladies get the rest. See you on the bridge Ensign." He carefully took the weapon down and left the women.
Hoshi laughed and looked around, "Wow, you need more stuff girl!"
"I'll get my pictures if you'll get my shoes?" Buffy said and Hoshi nodded.
"Are you sure that this is the right decision Buffy?" Hoshi asked as she gathered up the shoes.
Buffy smiled, "Oh yeah. I spend my nights there and eat most of my meals with him anyway." She was silent for a moment and Hoshi stood and looked at her, "What?"
Buffy met her friend's eyes, "I love him so much. It feels right."
Smiling, Hoshi nodded, "Then go for it and be happy."
